[[{"@type":["BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/colorectal-cancer-trends-maryland-conversation-dr-ralph-v-boccia\/#BlogPosting","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","kg":"http:\/\/g.co\/kg"},"url":["https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/colorectal-cancer-trends-maryland-conversation-dr-ralph-v-boccia\/","https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/colorectal-cancer-trends-maryland-conversation-dr-ralph-v-boccia\/"],"publisher":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],"author":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/colorectal-cancer-trends-maryland-conversation-dr-ralph-v-boccia\/#BlogPosting_author_Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/colorectal-cancer-trends-maryland-conversation-dr-ralph-v-boccia\/#BlogPosting_image_ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Ralph-V-Boccia.jpg"}],"headline":"Colorectal Cancer Trends in Maryland: A Conversation with Dr. Ralph V. Boccia","dateModified":"2021-11-11T14:55:56+00:00","datePublished":"2018-01-31T21:04:51+00:00","description":"Dr. Ralph V. Boccia of RCCA Bethesda and Germantown discusses colorectal cancer trends, risk factors, benefits of advanced screening and common CRC treatments.","articleBody":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJanuary 31, 2018\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\nAs the third most common cancer in the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) affects about 1 in 20 Americans. However, incidence and death rates for cancer of the colorectum have significantly decreased over the past several decades as a result of increased screening and drastic improvements in treatment. In Maryland alone, approximately 70% of adults over the age of 50 have an up-to-date colorectal cancer screening, helping contribute to the reduction in mortality rates.\nDr. Ralph V. Boccia, an oncology and hematology specialist at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) in Bethesda and Germantown, Maryland says, \u201cThe more colorectal screening we have and the earlier it gets started, the lower the stage that the cancer is typically picked up.\u201d In turn, early detection has led to the state\u2019s lower mortality rates over time.\nAccording to Dr. Boccia, improving screening rates \u201caffects the stage at which the cancer presents itself and [the patient\u2019s] potential for survival.\u201d Between 2002 and 2010, the percentage of Maryland adults with up-to-date colorectal cancer screenings increased from 64% to 71%. As a result, CRC mortality rates in Maryland decreased considerably among both men and women in that eight-year timeframe. Dr. Boccia explains, \u201cThe trend we\u2019ve actually seen \u2013 which is that more people are being screened \u2013 has resulted in more improvements of overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer.\u201d\nHowever, as colon cancer rates decline in adults 50 years and older, both incidence and death rates are increasing in the under-50 population. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing a scary trend of younger patients getting colorectal cancer,\u201d remarks Dr. Boccia, \u201ceven down into the 20s.\u201d However, at this point in time, there\u2019s insufficient data to clearly identify the causation behind this trend.\nAccording to a report from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the incidence rate of colon cancer per 100,000 people in Maryland was 1,174 for men and 1,109 for women in 2012. When looking at new cases of CRC, research shows that incidence may be tied to habits and lifestyles. Among these lifestyle- associated risk factors are being overweight or obese, lack of physical activity, smoking, heavy alcohol use and certain types of diets.\nAs outlined by the American Cancer Society, other risk factors unrelated to lifestyle choices are personal and family histories of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps, having type 2 diabetes, possessing an inherited syndrome, such as Lynch Syndrome, and certain racial and ethnic backgrounds. In addition, Dr. Boccia notes that a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease may increase the risk for developing colorectal cancer. \u201cPatients with ulcerative colitis have to be screened very frequently for colon cancer,\u201d Dr. Boccia elucidates, \u201cbecause of that high predisposition.\u201d\n\u201cFor early stage colorectal cancer, the treatment of choice is surgery,\u201d says Dr. Boccia. In this stage, a group of abnormal cells, referred to as carcinoma in situ (CIS), can be removed by a polypectomy, or a part of the colon can be removed via a partial colectomy. Once the cancer has penetrated the wall of the colon and perhaps even grown into nearby tissue, patients of RCCA Maryland will typically undergo active surveillance \u2013 although other treatment options are offered to those with high-risk tumors, says Dr. Boccia.\nOnce the cancer has reached Stage III, patients are generally offered a form of chemotherapy for roughly six weeks. \u201cFOLFOX is the adjuvant therapy of choice,\u201d says Dr. Boccia, \u201cand that we know will lower the incidence of recurrence by about 40-50%.\u201d For Stage IV diseases, which make up about 20% of the cases that RCCA Maryland sees each year, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and even immunotherapy can be used to offer aggressive treatment. If they no longer respond to a particular drug, patients will be introduced to a new regimen.\nIn regards to new research and treatment options, Dr. Boccia concludes, \u201cI have 50 to 60 clinical trials open at all times in the center, so we\u2019re always looking actively for good, cutting-edge therapies and offering those to our patients.\u201d\nwe are here for you\nFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.\nRELATED ARTICLES\nRegional 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.\n\u00a9 2022 Regional Cancer Care Associates. All rights reserved.","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/colorectal-cancer-trends-maryland-conversation-dr-ralph-v-boccia\/"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"LocalBusiness","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Corporate Office 25 Main Street, Suite 601","postalCode":"07601","addressRegion":"NJ","addressLocality":"Hackensack","addressCountry":"USA","name":"Postal Address","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/#PostalAddress"},"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"1024","height":"468","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"contactPoint":[{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Corporate Office Regional Cancer Care Associates 25 Main Street, Suite 601 Hackensack, NJ 07601 info@regionalcancercare.org Phone: (844) 346-7222","name":"Contact Corporate Office","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#CorporateOffice"},{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (201) 510-0922","email":"msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Media Inquiries: Mary Lou Salvemini Regional Cancer Care Associates Phone: (201) 510-0922 Email: msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","name":"Contact Media Inquiries","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#MediaInquiries"}],"areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey"],"additionalType":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Treatment_of_cancer","alternateName":"RCCA","description":"Leaders in Advanced Compassionate Cancer Care. Fight cancer with leading-edge treatments, experienced skill and local caring\/convenience from one of the nation's largest networks of cancer specialists.","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/rgnlcancercare","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/regionalcancercareassoc","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/10059183","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCFlVzU4UvZcyXBCe9ZSvAUQ"],"telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],{"@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":"Colorectal Cancer Trends in Maryland: A Conversation with Dr. Ralph V. Boccia","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/colorectal-cancer-trends-maryland-conversation-dr-ralph-v-boccia\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]