John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC) at the

Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) is a 950-bed non-profit, research and teaching hospital providing tertiary and healthcare needs located west of New York City, in Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of 2019, it r ...

(HUMC), and part of the

Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) is an American network of healthcare providers in New Jersey, based out of Edison. Members include academic centers, acute care facilities, and research hospitals. Hackensack Meridian Health aims to create one ...

(HMH), specializes in

oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's Etymology, etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγ ...

services and treatments. It is known for being the first site approved to use cell-based gene therapy to treat patients with certain types of large

B-cell lymphoma The B-cell lymphomas are types of lymphoma affecting B cells. Lymphomas are Tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues, "blood cancers" in the lymph nodes. They develop more frequently in older adults and in immunocompromised individuals. ...

who have not responded or relapsed after at least two other kinds of treatment; it initiated the first

CAR T-cell therapy In biology, chimeric antigen receptors (CARs)—also known as chimeric immunoreceptors, chimeric T cell receptors or artificial T cell receptors—are receptor (biochemistry), receptor proteins that have been engineered to give T cells the new abil ...

clinical trials and is a member of the NCI-approved

Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center The Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is a cancer center located on the medical campus of Georgetown University in Washington, DC. It is one of four components of the Georgetown University Medical Center and is affiliated with Med ...

. Other areas of concentration include bone marrow transplants,

stem cell In multicellular organisms, stem cells are undifferentiated or partially differentiated cells that can change into various types of cells and proliferate indefinitely to produce more of the same stem cell. They are the earliest type of cell ...

transplantation,

lymphoma Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). The name typically refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enlarged lymph node ...

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...

multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibody, antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone ...

neuro-oncology Neuro-oncology is the study of brain and spinal cord neoplasms, many of which are (at least eventually) very dangerous and life-threatening (astrocytoma, glioma, glioblastoma multiforme, ependymoma, pontine glioma, and brain stem tumors are a ...

cutaneous Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different d ...

malignancy,

gastrointestinal The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. ...

geriatric Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on addressing the unique health needs of older adults. The term ''geriatrics'' originates from the Greek γέρων ''geron'' meaning "old man", and ιατρός ''iatros'' mean ...

, head and neck,

thoracic The thorax (: thoraces or thoraxes) or chest is a part of the anatomy of mammals and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main ...

urologic Urology (from Greek οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and ''-logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the urinary system and the reproductive organs. Org ...

breast The breasts are two prominences located on the upper ventral region of the torso among humans and other primates. Both sexes develop breasts from the same embryology, embryological tissues. The relative size and development of the breasts is ...

, and

gynecologic Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences) is the area of medicine concerned with conditions affecting the female reproductive system. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, which focuses on pre ...

. As of 2023, Andre Goy is chair and Chief Physician Officer.

Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center affiliation

In 2019, JTCC received approval from the

National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the United States National Cancer Program and is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ...

(NCI) as a member of the NCI-approved

. The partnership focuses on advancing research and treatment in

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

, cancer prevention and control, experimental therapeutics and

molecular oncology Molecular oncology is an interdisciplinary medical specialty at the interface of medicinal chemistry and oncology that refers to the investigation of the chemistry of cancer and tumors at the molecule, molecular scale. Also the development and app ...

. The Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Center is designated by the

as a leader in cancer treatment.

Hackensack University Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Health affiliations

JTCC is part of Hackensack University Medical Center. HUMC and part of the

network, which includes Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital, the ''Cancer Center,'' a branch of The Betty Torricelli Institute for Breast Care, Ocean Medical Center, Pascack Valley Medical Center, and the Riverview Medical Center. In 2022, JTCC expanded its program to Hackensack Meridian

Jersey Shore University Medical Center Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) is a 691-bed non-profit, tertiary research and academic medical center located in Neptune Township, New Jersey, servicing coastal New Jersey and the Central Jersey area. JSUMC is the region’s onl ...

's HOPE Tower, providing access to specialized cancer services and access to clinical trials.

Other affiliations

JTCC has a partnership with

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK or MSKCC) is a cancer treatment and research institution in Manhattan in New York City. MSKCC is one of 72 National Cancer Institute– designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Its main campus is ...

(MSK) to provide cancer care and develop joint standards of care through the oversight of a governing board composed of members from both MSK and HMH. In 2021, JTCC entered into a clinical affiliation with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) to open a practice called Toms River Regional Cancer Center in

Toms River The Toms River is a freshwater river and estuary in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The river rises in the Pine Barrens of northern Ocean County, then flows southeast and east, where it is fed by several tributaries, and flows in a ...

, NJ. The center provides comprehensive medical and surgical oncology/hematology consultative services by community-based, regional, and national specialists for various types and stages of cancer and serious blood disorders. In 2022, JTCC entered into a clinical affiliation with St. Joseph's Health to provide expanded cancer care services to the residents of Wayne,

Paterson Paterson may refer to: People *Paterson (surname) *Paterson (given name) Places Australia *Paterson, New South Wales * Paterson River, New South Wales *Division of Paterson, an electoral district in New South Wales * Paterson, Queensland, a loc ...

, and Totowa.

Green initiatives

In 2011, JTCC at HUMC opened a $130-million, facility. The JTCC pavilion was built with a

green roof A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage ...

, providing patients and visitors with a relaxing environment and doubling as exterior insulation—greatly reducing heat gain and loss. This reduces energy use for heating and cooling as well as harmful emissions.

Notable accomplishments

* JTCC initiated the first CAR T-cell therapy clinical trials through its NCI collaboration and became the first certified center in New Jersey to offer this treatment, in which a patient's own immune cells (

T-cells T cells (also known as T lymphocytes) are an important part of the immune system and play a central role in the adaptive immune response. T cells can be distinguished from other lymphocytes by the presence of a T-cell receptor (TCR) on their cell ...

) are trained to fight cancer. * JTCC supports the Northeast's largest

bone marrow transplant Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is the transplantation of multipotent hematopoietic stem cells, usually derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood, in order to replicate inside a patient and produce a ...

(BMT) program and, in 2014, performed 400 transplants. * Treated first US patient with an investigatory drug for relapsed

glioblastoma Glioblastoma, previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive and most common type of cancer that originates in the brain, and has a very poor prognosis for survival. Initial signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nons ...

and other

anaplastic Anaplasia () is a condition of cells with poor cellular differentiation, losing the morphological characteristics of mature cells and their orientation with respect to each other and to endothelial cells. The term also refers to a group of mor ...

glioma A glioma is a type of primary tumor that starts in the glial cells of the brain or spinal cord. They are malignant but some are extremely slow to develop. Gliomas comprise about 30% of all brain and central nervous system tumors and 80% of ...

s. * First to use a

biomarker In biomedical contexts, a biomarker, or biological marker, is a measurable indicator of some biological state or condition. Biomarkers are often measured and evaluated using blood, urine, or soft tissues to examine normal biological processes, ...

surveillance program that screens patients who are at high-risk for developing

pancreatic The pancreas (plural pancreases, or pancreata) is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine ...

cancer. * Among the first of limited U.S. sites approved to offer Yescarta (

axicabtagene ciloleucel Axicabtagene ciloleucel, sold under the brand name Yescarta, is a medication used for the treatment for large B-cell lymphoma that has failed conventional treatment. T cells are removed from a person with lymphoma and genetically engineered t ...

), a cell-based gene therapy, to treat adult patients with certain types of large

who have not responded or relapsed after at least two other kinds of treatment. As of 2023, it is also approved for all six commercially available CAR-T products for lymphoma,

and pediatric B-Cell precursor

acute lymphoblastic leukemia Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the Lymphocyte, lymphoid line of blood cells characterized by the development of large numbers of lymphoblast, immature lymphocytes. Symptoms may include feeling tired, pale skin color, fever, ...

: Yescarta, Tecartus ( brexucabtagene autoleucel), Breyanzi (

lisocabtagene maraleucel Lisocabtagene maraleucel, sold under the brand name Breyanzi, is a cell-based gene therapy used to treat B-cell lymphomas, including follicular lymphoma. Side effects include hypersensitivity reactions, serious infections, low blood cell count ...

), Carvykti ( ciltacabtagene autoleucel), Abecma (

idecabtagene vicleucel Idecabtagene vicleucel, sold under the brand name Abecma, is a cell-based gene therapy to treat multiple myeloma. The most common side effects include cytokine release syndrome (CRS), infections, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and a weakened ...

), and Kymriah (

tisagenlecleucel Tisagenlecleucel, sold under the brand name Kymriah, is a CAR T cells medication for the treatment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) which uses the body's own T cells to fight cancer (adoptive cell transfer). The most common serious ...

References

External links

OncLive
{{DEFAULTSORT:John Theurer Cancer Center Buildings and structures in Hackensack, New Jersey Cancer hospitals Cancer research organizations Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) Hospitals in Bergen County, New Jersey