[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/choosing-where-to-receive-cancer-care-in-new-jersey-5-factors-to-consider\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/choosing-where-to-receive-cancer-care-in-new-jersey-5-factors-to-consider\/","headline":"Choosing Where to Receive Cancer Care in New Jersey: 5 Factors to Consider","name":"Choosing Where to Receive Cancer Care in New Jersey: 5 Factors to Consider","description":"Two medical oncologists with Regional Cancer Care Associates LLC (RCCA), one of the nation\u2019s largest networks of cancer specialists, recently discussed how they counsel patients and families who are weighing this important question. They identified five key factors to consider.","datePublished":"2023-06-20","dateModified":"2025-03-25","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/author\/ceastway\/#Person","name":"ceastway","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/author\/ceastway\/","identifier":5,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/007b7979610c70c3cd4b24ed960fb78ff62c0b68401d393e79cb483d56812050?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/007b7979610c70c3cd4b24ed960fb78ff62c0b68401d393e79cb483d56812050?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo.svg","width":506,"height":228}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/GettyImages-1063593162.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/GettyImages-1063593162.jpg","height":1000,"width":1500},"url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/choosing-where-to-receive-cancer-care-in-new-jersey-5-factors-to-consider\/","about":["Breast Cancer"],"wordCount":1189,"keywords":["News & Events"],"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChoosing Where to Receive Cancer Care in New Jersey: 5 Factors to Consider\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJune 20, 2023\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPeople newly diagnosed with cancer have more options \u2014 and thus more hope \u2014 than ever before, thanks to a rapidly expanding array of drug therapies, surgical techniques and radiation interventions. But before consulting with a cancer specialist to decide which treatment strategy is best for them, patients must make a more fundamental decision: where to receive care.\u00a0Two medical oncologists with Regional Cancer Care Associates LLC (RCCA), one of the nation\u2019s largest networks of cancer specialists, recently discussed how they counsel patients and families who are weighing this important question. They identified five key factors to consider.Access to the latest therapies and best approaches to treating cancer. Years ago, said Andrew Bernstein, DO, patients often had to travel to a major academic medical center in a large city to obtain newly approved therapies or to benefit from the most-effective treatment strategies. \u201cThat is no longer the case. Today patients have access to immunotherapies, targeted therapies, and other innovative treatments in the community setting,\u201d noted Dr. Bernstein, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices with RCCA in Riverdale.\u00a0Additionally, said\u00a0Rachel Levenbach, MD, oncologists\u2019 use of evidence-based guidelines fosters a consistent and high-quality approach to cancer care nationwide, in both the community and academic settings. \u201cRegardless of where oncologists practice, we\u2019re assessing the same evidence and looking at the same guidelines, while using our skill and experience to individualize care based on each patient\u2019s specific needs,\u201d said Dr. Levenbach, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices with RCCA in\u00a0Moorestown.Convenience and quality of life. Dr. Bernstein noted that family and friends often will urge a New Jersey resident newly diagnosed with cancer to seek care in New York City or Philadelphia. He said, \u201cI understand that initial inclination to \u2018go to the city,\u2019 and I always encourage patients to investigate every option, ask every question, obtain additional medical opinions, and to make the choice that they decide is best for them. And, what I\u2019ve seen time and again is that once people understand that they have access to the same therapies and care strategies in a community setting that they would receive in an academic medical center 50 miles or more away, they typically opt to be treated locally. In part, that\u2019s because contending with getting out of Manhattan or Philadelphia at rush hour after a chemotherapy session or other treatment can be daunting compared to being 10 minutes away from home.”\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Bernstein, board certified hematology and medical oncology, practicing with RCCA in Riverdale, NJ\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Levenbach, board certified hematology, internal medicine and medical oncology, practicing with RCCA in Moorestown, NJ\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPersonalized attention and care. \u201cOne of the real benefits of community-based oncology care is that everyone in our office, from the people at the front desk to the nurses and physicians, really comes to know each patient and her or his family personally,\u201d Dr. Levenbach said. \u201cWhen someone arrives, they are seeing familiar faces and are greeted by name. There is an ongoing rapport. That counts for a lot.\u201dCollaboration with a patient\u2019s other physicians. It\u2019s the rare cancer patient who doesn\u2019t have at least one other health issue, whether that be high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma or some other chronic condition. The presence of these other conditions can complicate treatment decisions due to the potential for drug-drug interactions. \u201cNo matter where they\u2019re located, cancer specialists work hard to communicate with a patient\u2019s other physicians, but there\u2019s definitely an advantage when the physicians know one another from practicing in the same community and being on staff at the same hospital. You interact more often, you\u2019re more familiar with each other, and it\u2019s just easier to provide integrated care that addresses the full range of a patient\u2019s health needs,\u201d said Dr. Levenbach.Access to clinical trials. Dr. Bernstein noted that RCCA\u2019s 20+ care centers across New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C., area are participating in approximately 300 clinical trials.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Levenbach said, \u201cA decade or more ago, access to clinical trials was one of the key differentiating factors between community-based care and academic centers in large cities. That distinction no longer holds true, and the ability to participate in a clinical trial in a community center both benefits patients and increases the breadth and pace of research.\u201dShe added, \u201cWhether it\u2019s a matter of access to trials, or to the latest diagnostics or therapy, I truly believe that physicians who treat people with cancer want those people to receive the best possible care and won\u2019t hesitate to refer a patient elsewhere if there is a unique situation or a specific therapy available at another center that would be beneficial. At the same time, I\u2019m proud that the breadth of expertise across various solid tumors and blood-based malignancies that we possess at RCCA, as well as our ability to provide cutting-edge diagnostics, the latest therapies and access to trials, allows us to provide personalized, compassionate, and outstanding care to our patients right here in the community.\u201dDrs. Bernstein and Levenbach are among the\u00a090+ cancer specialists\u00a0who treat patients at\u00a0more than 20 RCCA care centers\u00a0located throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C., area. RCCA oncologists and hematologists see more than 23,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 225,000 established patients, collaborating closely with their patients\u2019 other physicians. They offer patients the latest in cutting-edge treatments, including\u00a0immunotherapies\u00a0and\u00a0targeted therapy, as well as access to a wide range of\u00a0clinical trials. In addition to serving patients who have solid tumors, blood-based cancers, and benign blood disorders such as anemia, RCCA care centers also provide\u00a0infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions\u2014including\u00a0multiple sclerosis,\u00a0Crohn\u2019s disease,\u00a0asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis\u2014who take intravenously-administered medications.To learn more about RCCA, call 1-844-346-7222\u00a0or visit\u00a0RCCA.com.\u00a0\u00a0\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\twe are here for you\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the\u00a0RCCA location\u00a0nearest you.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\trequest an appointment\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRELATED ARTICLES\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCutting Your Cancer Risk: RCCA Oncologists Discuss 4 Lesser-Known Steps\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tYou don\u2019t smoke. You drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. You avoid processed meats and you dab on the sunscreen before you hit the\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetting Your First Mammogram on Schedule Really Matters: 2 RCCA Oncologists Explain Why\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThere are many reasons women don\u2019t obtain their first mammogram at the recommended age: work commitments and other demands on their time, uncertainty regarding when\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEarly Signs of Inflammatory Breast Cancer\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRegional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) provides comprehensive treatment of cancer and blood disorders to patients throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, and the Washington, DC, area. Here,\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Choosing Where to Receive Cancer Care in New Jersey: 5 Factors to Consider","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/choosing-where-to-receive-cancer-care-in-new-jersey-5-factors-to-consider\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]