CentraState Medical Center has announced Alexander Itskovich, MD, a board-certified and fellowship-trained hepatobiliary and advanced gastrointestinal surgeon, as Medical Director of Statesir Cancer Center.
In his new role, Dr. Itskovich will lead the effort to collaborate with medical staff and administrative leaders to further the cancer center’s vision of providing the highest level of clinical cancer care and expanding its patient-focused approach.
Specializing in robotic and laparoscopic surgical treatments for liver, pancreatic, bile duct and GI cancers, Dr. Itskovich’s expertise in these complex surgeries will be available to Statesir Cancer Center patients. He is also certified in robotic surgery using the da Vinci® Surgical System.
“Dr. Itskovich is a visionary leader who will drive the expansion of cancer programs and services,” said John T. Gribbin, president and CEO. “In addition, he brings unique expertise in advanced surgical treatments in his specialty areas, which will benefit cancer patients in our community who previously may have had to travel a distance to access that level of care.”
Dr. Itskovich’s plans include the expansion of cancer prevention and early detection offerings, including a pancreatic cancer screening program and an incidentaloma program to ensure that any incidental findings will be analyzed to facilitate early treatment if needed.
He also brings expertise in hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy to CentraState, a technique he specializes in, where during surgery, chemotherapy agents are introduced directly into the abdomen to treat certain types of colon, appendiceal and additional rare cancers.
“Dr. Itskovich is increasing the breadth and depth of expertise by adding new surgical specialists to the team, broadening patient access to clinical trials and expanding treatment options through CentraState’s unique partnership with Atlantic Health System,” said James Matera, D.O., senior vice president and chief medical officer at CentraState.
He has research interest in pancreatic cysts, and will be introducing clinical trials on this topic to CentraState in the next quarter. In addition, he has authored several book chapters on hepatobiliary disease as well as surgical quality and patient safety.
Dr. Itskovich joins CentraState from Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) JFK University Edison, where he served as an attending surgeon for hepatobiliary and advanced GI surgery and held other key roles, including assistant director, General Surgery; director, Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy program; and surgical lead, department of Quality and Patient Safety.
Previously, Dr. Itskovich was an attending surgeon at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn, NY, where he trained surgical residents and was recognized at the Teaching Faculty of the Year by the Department of Surgery.
“I am thrilled to be at The Statesir Cancer Center, a highly respected comprehensive community cancer center with a team truly dedicated to quality, personal care for every patient,” said Dr. Itskovich. “The vision and support of CentraState’s leadership team and board will allow us to build more cancer services to meet the growing needs of the community.”
In addition to English, he is also fluent in Hungarian and Russian.
For more information about Statesir Cancer Center, call 855-411-CANCER.
ABOUT CENTRASTATE
CentraState Healthcare System is a fully accredited, not-for-profit, community-based health system that provides comprehensive health services in the central New Jersey region. In addition to offering a full range of leading-edge diagnostic and treatment options, CentraState serves as a valuable health partner focused on the latest ways to prevent disease, promote healthy behaviors, and help people of all ages live life well. Based in Freehold, CentraState is comprised of a 284-bed acute-care hospital, a vibrant health and wellness campus, three award-winning senior living communities, a charitable foundation, and four convenient satellite health pavilions. The system also offers a family medicine residency and geriatric fellowship training program in affiliation with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Among its many honors and accreditations, CentraState is one of less than two percent of hospitals nationwide to earn Magnet® designation for nursing excellence four times. To learn more, visit centrastate.com.