[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-oncologist-avishek-kumar-md-serving-others-whether-in-a-lab-coat-or-a-military-flight-suit\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-oncologist-avishek-kumar-md-serving-others-whether-in-a-lab-coat-or-a-military-flight-suit\/","headline":"RCCA Oncologist Avishek Kumar, MD: Serving Others,  Whether in a Lab Coat or a Military Flight Suit","name":"RCCA Oncologist Avishek Kumar, MD: Serving Others,  Whether in a Lab Coat or a Military Flight Suit","description":"Like many people, Avishek Kumar, MD, scheduled some time away from the office this summer. However, his version of an \u201cisland get-away\u201d was hardly the norm.","datePublished":"2024-09-18","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\/2024\/09\/Dr.-Kumar-with-Jet.png","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Dr.-Kumar-with-Jet.png","height":658,"width":978},"url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-oncologist-avishek-kumar-md-serving-others-whether-in-a-lab-coat-or-a-military-flight-suit\/","about":["All Cancers"],"wordCount":1280,"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\tRCCA Oncologist Avishek Kumar, MD: Serving Others,  Whether in a Lab Coat or a Military Flight Suit\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSeptember 18, 2024\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLike many people,\u00a0Avishek Kumar, MD, scheduled some time away from the office this summer. However, his version of an \u201cisland getaway\u201d was hardly the norm. Rather than jetting down to the Caribbean for a few days of sand, surf, and sun, the cancer specialist traveled 8,000 miles to the U.S. territory of Guam, where he was one of 147 military service members who provided care to the Pacific island\u2019s residents.\u00a0\u201cWe saw more than 1,500 patients in the first week of August,\u201d says Dr. Kumar, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve and medical oncologist who practices in the\u00a0Edison, NJ,\u00a0offices of\u00a0Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA),\u00a0one of the nation\u2019s largest networks of oncology specialists. He explains that Air Force Reserve and active-duty Air Force, Army, Navy, and Guam Air National Guard clinicians and support staff participated in the effort, known as the 2024 Guam Wellness Innovative Readiness Training.For Dr. Kumar, who is board certified in internal medicine as well as in medical oncology, the week-long mission entailed a considerable amount of primary care, from performing physical exams and assessing chronic conditions to educating patients about cancer prevention. Other military clinicians provided dental care, offered eye examinations, and conducted cancer screenings, such as mammography and colonoscopy.\u201cIt was a wonderful opportunity to serve the people of Guam and a great way for members of different service branches to hone our ability to work together in efficiently delivering a wide range of medical care,\u201d said Dr. Kumar.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\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. Avishek Kumar, board certified internal medicine and medical oncology, practicing with RCCA in Edison, 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\tDr. Kumar, second from right, and colleagues following a briefing for their Innovative Readiness Training duties on Guam this August.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFulfilling two lifelong dreamsHe explains that his physician parents endowed him with a love of medicine and of the doctor\u2019s role in providing compassionate care and real hope to people facing serious illness. At the same time, however, repeated viewings of \u201cTop Gun\u201d \u2013 already a classic by the time he started watching it \u2013 imbued the young man with a fascination with flying and, particularly, military aviation.Strongly drawn to two highly demanding professions, Dr. Kumar eschewed an \u201ceither\/or\u201d decision for an \u201cand\u201d approach.\u201dAfter graduating from Rutgers College, where he studied biology and archeology, Dr. Kumar took flying lessons at Morristown Airport whenever he was home during breaks from his studies at Saint George\u2019s University School of Medicine. After earning his medical degree, Dr. Kumar embarked upon postgraduate training that encompassed not only an internal medicine residency at St. Michael\u2019s Medical Center in Newark, a geriatric medicine fellowship at the University of, and a hematology and oncology fellowship at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, but also flight surgeon school (Aerospace Medicine Primary) with the Air Force Reserve following his 2011 commissioning.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhile his hematology and oncology fellowship focused on topics such as the molecular basis of cancer and the pharmacology of immunotherapies and targeted therapies, the instruction he received in the Air Force Reserve entailed becoming proficient not only in aerospace medicine but also in skills of a decidedly different sort. \u201cI trained alongside pilots and other air crew in courses on water survival, escape and evasion, and, of course, flying,\u201d he says.His military career has taken Dr. Kumar to locations from Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas in support of Operation Red Flag, to Okinawa, where he worked with Air Force Pararescue Special Forces, to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in southern Alaska.Whereas much of Dr. Kumar\u2019s work deals with patient-facing responsibilities and medical care, his years in the Air Force Reserve have provided numerous occasions to satisfy \u2013 as Tom Cruise\u2019s \u201cTop Gun\u201d character phrased it \u2013 \u201cthe need for speed.\u201d Dr. Kumar explains, \u201cWe have broken the sound barrier several times in F-16 and F-15 fighters.\u201dSERVING CANCER PATIENTS IN CENTRAL NEW JERSEYAlthough Dr. Kumar dedicates the equivalent of a few weeks a year to his duties as a flight surgeon\/aerospace medicine specialist with the 482nd\u00a0Fighter Wing, based in Homestead, Florida, the great majority of his time is devoted to caring for patients who come to RCCA\u2019s Edison, NJ, office for treatment of solid tumors, cancers of the blood and blood-forming tissues, and benign hematologic conditions, such as anemia.He practices in a newly renovated and state-of-the-art practice, located at 15 Main Street in Edison, NJ, with a highly trained team of oncology nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and board-certified physicians.\u201cHaving grown up in New Jersey, first in Haworth, and later in Scotch Plains in Union County, it is a great honor to be providing cancer care here, not just in the strictly medical sense, but also in terms of having respect and compassion for each person,\u201d Dr. Kumar says.Dr. Kumar, who speaks English, Hindi, and medical Spanish, is affiliated with JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ, and Rahway Medical Center in Rahway, NJ.\u201cServing our country as a military flight surgeon is both exciting and rewarding,\u201d he says, adding that he always feels a particular rapport with the many veterans he treats at RCCA\u2019s Edison, NJ, offices. \u201cAt the same time, however, being an oncologist also is incredibly exciting today because our understanding of the causes and effective treatment of cancer is growing exponentially. As a result, the last few years have seen a dramatic expansion of the therapies we can offer people and our ability to achieve good outcomes, not only extending life but also preserving quality of life. To be able to provide cutting-edge, comprehensive care to people here in the community setting is an incredibly rewarding experience.\u201d*****Avishek Kumar, is one of more than\u00a090 medical oncologists and hematologists\u00a0who practice with RCCA at\u00a0New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C., area. RCCA\u2019s cancer specialists see more than 26,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 245,000 established patients, collaborating closely with those patients\u2019 other physicians. RCCA physicians offer patients innovative therapies, including\u00a0immunotherapies\u00a0and\u00a0targeted therapy, as well as access to approximately\u00a0300\u00a0clinical trials. In addition to serving patients who have solid tumors, blood-based cancers, and benign blood disorders, RCCA care centers also provide\u00a0infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions\u2014including\u00a0multiple sclerosis,\u00a0Crohn\u2019s disease,\u00a0asthma,\u00a0iron-deficiency anemia, and\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis\u2014who take intravenously-administered medications.To learn more about RCCA, call 1-844-346-7222 or visit RCCA.com\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\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\tWhat to Expect During a Lung Bronchoscopy\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBronchoscopy is an invaluable tool that allows physicians to examine the inside of the lungs without surgery, enabling them to detect and diagnose lung cancer.\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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\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":"RCCA Oncologist Avishek Kumar, MD: Serving Others,  Whether in a Lab Coat or a Military Flight Suit","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-oncologist-avishek-kumar-md-serving-others-whether-in-a-lab-coat-or-a-military-flight-suit\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]