World Cancer Day is an international initiative uniting people around the world in an effort to raise awareness and take action. The 2022-2024 theme — “Close the Care Gap” — calls for individuals to understand and recognize the inequities in cancer care around the globe. At Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center together with RWJBarnabas Health, experts are always working toward improved health care quality, ensuring everyone has access to cancer care, and better outcomes for cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and survivorship.
The close working relationship between physicians and researchers means patients have access to cutting-edge treatments and the latest advances in cancer care in one of the nation’s most ethnically and racially diverse states.
Highlights
![Woman with rainbow wristband and face mask flexes bicep over blue background](/sites/cinj/files/2024-01/lgbtq-cancer-disparities.jpeg)
The LGBTQ+ Community is Disproportionately Burdened by Cancer
Joan Hogan, DSW, LCSW, OSW-C, manager of Social Work Services and Rosemarie Slirzewski, MSW, LCSW, social worker, both specialize in LGBTQ+ equity and explain what we know about the impact of cancer on the LGBTQ+ community.
![Woman with bald head and pink tank top smiles over mauve background](/sites/cinj/files/2024-01/black-women-breast-cancer-disparities.jpeg)
Why Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Need to Include More Black Women
Coral Omene, MD, PhD, program director of Breast Cancer Disparities Research and medical oncologist in the Breast Oncology Program shares why breast cancer clinical trials need to include more black women.
![Smiling, bald man in tan cardigan sits in hospital bed during treatment](/sites/cinj/files/2024-01/multiple-myeloma-disparities.jpeg)
Multiple Myeloma: The Black Community, Disparities & Clinical Trials
Mansi R. Shah, MD, hematologist-oncologist in the Multiple Myeloma Program shares how multiple myeloma impacts the Black community.
![Anatomical model of prostate showing inflamed, cancerous growth](/sites/cinj/files/2024-01/prostate-cancer-graphic.jpeg)
Expert Addresses Stigma, Disparities in Prostate Cancer
David M. Golombos, MD, urologic oncologist in the Urologic Oncology Program addresses some hot topics about prostate cancer including stigma, racial disparities and maintaining prostate health.
![Woman in white sweater pulls back brown vest to reveal pink awareness ribbon](/sites/cinj/files/2024-01/black-women-breast-cancer-awareness_0.jpeg)
Genetic Ancestry and Social Environment may Influence How Aggressive Breast Cancer is in Black Women
Researchers Hari S. Iyer, ScD, MPH, Nur Zeinomar, PhD, MPH, Coral O. Omene, MD, PhD, Elisa V. Bandera, MD, PhD and Bo (Bonnie) Qin, PhD, examined associations between African genetic ancestry, neighborhood social environment, and outcomes in Black breast cancer survivors.
![Man in gray tshirt grabs stomach as red model of GI tract hovers above hands](/sites/cinj/files/2024-01/stomach-cancer-hispanic-man.jpeg)
Stomach Cancer is Disproportionately Impacting the Hispanic-American Community
Lyudmyla Berim, MD, medical oncologist in the Gastrointestinal Oncology Program shares more about this topic and what the Hispanic community should know.