“What innovative initiatives or practices has your institution implemented to enhance cancer care and improve patient outcomes?”
A recognized leader in treating cancer, Atlantic Health is on the frontlines of fighting cancer. Our care spans prevention to treatment to survivorship and our services include access to cancer specialists, clinical trials, support services and innovative technology and treatments.
As a transformative step in advancing state-of-the-art cancer services for our patients, Atlantic Health plans to introduce MEVION S250-FIT Proton Therapy System™ at the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, located at Morristown Medical Center. The proton system is scheduled to be installed in 2025, and once in use, will usher in a new era of cutting-edge radiation oncology services.
Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that targets tumors more precisely compared to conventional photon therapy, thus minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue and critical organs such as the brainstem, heart, and lungs. A recent randomized clinical trial demonstrated that proton therapy achieved similar survival rates to traditional radiation therapy, but with fewer side effects in the treatment of head and neck cancers, meaning less malnutrition and feeding tube dependence for patients. The MEVION S250-FIT system further enhances these benefits with its industry-leading features. HYPERSCAN® Pencil Beam Scanning for Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) with a proton MLC, ensures precise delivery of proton therapy, minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Upright patient positioning and a large bore diagnostic CT from Leo Cancer Care allow for real-time image guidance and adaptive therapy.
Atlantic Health is set to become one of the world’s pioneers in transforming a conventional LINAC vault to install the FIT proton therapy system. The FIT Proton Therapy System is the first and only full proton therapy system that can be seamlessly installed in an existing LINAC vault, significantly reducing the size, cost, and complexity of proton therapy.
Additionally, Atlantic Health has recently made three critical advancements — in diagnostics, intervention and treatment — to offer new hope by changing the outcomes for many lung cancer patients.
With an ultrathin and extremely maneuverable catheter, new bronchoscopy technology called Ion helps surgeons reach small lesions anywhere in the lungs for a minimally invasive biopsy of previously difficult-to-reach nodules with greater precision and stability. The Ion is deployed at Overlook, Morristown and CentraState medical centers.
Overlook Medical Center was among the first in the world to use an innovative new medication called Cytalux® to detect lung cancer, even at its earliest stages. Cancer patients being evaluated for a lung nodule, which may indicate the presence of cancer, get Cytalux via IV infusion before surgery.
With few negative side effects, FDA-approved Cytalux is made up of fluorescent folic acid. It accumulates in cancer cells but quickly passes through noncancerous cells. In real time, the surgeon can see the cancerous tissue more easily, offering an effective way to detect lesions that may not have been visible to surgeons in the past. The ability to detect and remove these lesions is crucial in preventing cancer from spreading and offers a better chance of long-term survival for patients.
Further, Morristown Medical Center is the first hospital in New Jersey to treat advanced lung cancer by combining the new Aliya™ Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) Energy Platform with Ion robotic bronchoscopy.
The FDA-approved Aliya uses high-voltage electrical pulses to ablate soft tissue tumors, offering a lower-temperature alternative to traditional thermal ablation for removing or destroying abnormal tissue. Unlike traditional methods that rely on extreme heat, Aliya uses a lower temperature, minimizing damage to surrounding tissue, reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of lung collapse and bleeding.
By combining the technology of the Aliya PEF Energy Platform with bronchoscopy, patients now have access to a less invasive, yet highly effective treatment for advanced lung cancer.
Such advancements allow physicians at Atlantic Health to leverage new solutions in the fight against cancer and represent our commitment to bring the most advanced and innovative solutions in care to our patients.
