Oncology / Hematology

Oncology and Hematology at Summit Medical Group provides patients with access to expert cancer care.

Oncology is the science of cancer treatment. Hematology is the science of medicine that deals with blood diseases.

According to the American Cancer Society, 50% of men and 33% of women in the United States develop cancer at some point in their lives. This means that millions of people in the United States have had or currently have cancer.

Our Oncologists and Hematologists

Our oncologists and hematologists have expertise in all aspects of cancer care, including the surgical treatment of cancers as well as therapies for cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.

Members of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Atlantic Health Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, our oncologists and hematologists are knowledgeable about and can offer you leading-edge treatment options.

In addition, our physicians can help manage pain as well as the psychological effects of cancer. We partner with your primary care physician and specialists to ensure you get the best cancer care available.

What is cancer?

Cancer is the name for a group of diseases that involve the growth of abnormal cells with damaged DNA. While normal cells never infiltrate other areas of the body, cancer cells can sometimes grow into other tissues and spread to other parts of the body. There are more than 100 different types of cancer.

In some cases, abnormal cells create a tumor; but in some types of cancer such as leukemia, the abnormal cells circulate through the blood and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads through the blood cell growth, it is called metastasis.

Some cancers can result from genetic causes, whereas others may result from environmental or behavioral factors such as cigarette smoking. Doctors do not yet know what causes all types of cancer.

Sometimes tumors develop that do not contain cancer cells. These tumors are called benign tumors.

Cancer Care

Cancer is usually diagnosed through laboratory tests that analyze tissue, blood, and urine. If a tumor is found, a small amount of tissue or cells may be taken from the affected area for lab analysis. This process is called a biopsy.

If cancer is found, an oncologist at Summit Medical Group will determine the best course of treatment for you. Your treatment will depend on the type of cancer you have and how far it has progressed. Cancers are given numbered stages, which characterize severity of the disease. Stage 1, for example, is the beginning stage of cancer, whereas Stage 4 is advanced cancer.

If you need surgery for cancer, your doctor will refer you to Summit Medical Group Surgical Oncology.

To find out more about skin cancer, please click here to visit Summit Medical Group Dermatology.