Jersey Shore University Medical Center Opens Thyroid Cancer Trial

Neptune, NJ (I-Newswire) February 11, 2012 - Jersey Shore University Medical Center opens a new clinical trial for patients diagnosed with differentiated, papillary and follicular thyroid cancer who do not respond to radioiodine treatment.

Thyroid Cancer is a rare form of cancer representing about 1% of all cancers. It is the most common form of cancer affecting the endocrine system. Thyroid cancer is three times more common in females than in males, and the number of new cases has increased over recent years. The outlook for newly diagnosed patients is generally very good with 85% of patients surviving ten years. Initial treatment of thyroid cancer typically includes surgical removal of part or all of the thyroid gland, followed by treatment with radioiodine and replacement of thyroxin hormone. In patients whose cancer returns, additional surgery, radiation therapy and re-treatment with radioiodine are all commonly used strategies. However, there is a small number of patients whose recurrent cancer does not respond to radioiodine, and in these patients, the prognosis for long-term survival is significantly diminished. Unfortunately, there are few treatment options for these patients. Under the direction of surgeon Alexander Shifrin, M.D., and in collaboration with endocrinologists Sunil Asnani, M.D. and Danielle Lann, M.D., Jersey Shore University Medical Center will undertake a trial to test a new drug in patients whose cancer no longer responds to radioiodine. The study is being sponsored by Eisai Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

If you think you might qualify for this study and would like more information, please contact Diane Russomanno, Clinical Study Coordinator at 732.776.2421 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

About Jersey Shore University Medical Center:
Jersey Shore University Medical Center, a member of the Meridian Health family, is a not-for-profit teaching hospital and home to K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital – the first children’s hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Jersey Shore is the regional provider of cardiac surgery, a program which has been ranked among the best in the Northeast, and is home to the only trauma center and stroke rescue center in the region. Jersey Shore University Medical Center specializes in cardiovascular care, orthopedics and rehabilitation, cancer care, neuroscience, and women’s specialty services. For more information about Jersey Shore University Medical Center call 1-800-DOCTORS, or visit www.JerseyShoreUniversityMedicalCenter.com.

Contact:
Maureen Gillespie, Public Relations Manager
732-776-4166
mgillespie@meridianhealth.com

About Jersey Shore University Medical Center:
Jersey Shore University Medical Center, a member of the Meridian Health family, is a not-for-profit teaching hospital and home to K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital – the first children's hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Jersey Shore is the regional provider of cardiac surgery, a program which has been ranked among the best in the Northeast, and is home to the only trauma center and stroke rescue center in the region. Jersey Shore University Medical Center specializes in cardiovascular care, orthopedics and rehabilitation, cancer care, neuroscience, and women's specialty services.

Company Contact Information
Jersey Shore University Medical Center
Maureen Gillespie, Public Relations Manager
1945 Route 33,
Neptune, NJ
07753
Phone : 732-776-4166