Throughout the ups and downs in life, Mary Jo Burkhard of Howell has never underestimated the power of a meaningful hug. The 71-year-old Navy veteran and former Brookdale Community College administrator doled them out in good measure over the past 18 months as her family, friends and the CentraState [...]
Scientists continue to unravel the mysteries of our genes and how they impact our health, now and in the future. Our genes carry the biological material that determines our specific physical traits and controls how our cells behave. Genes also influence why some illnesses run in families. Cancer is [...]
Acid reflux – a backward flow of stomach acid into your esophagus – can put you at risk for esophageal cancer if not controlled. If acid reflux worsens or occurs two to three times each week, it can develop into gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), several precancerous conditions or even [...]
After completing treatment for early-stage breast cancer in 2011, Marites “Jing” Nieveras had put the disease in her rearview mirror. She moved forward with her life, working as a registered nurse in CentraState’s Pre-Admission Testing department and raising two teenagers with her husband, Mike. Jing’s commitment to her annual [...]
Esophageal cancer is highly treatable when found at an early stage. At the Statesir Cancer Center at CentraState, patients with early-stage esophageal cancer may be eligible for a state-of-the art, non-surgical treatment that allows for a quicker return to work, family, and daily activities. Board-certified thoracic surgeon Igor Brichkov, [...]
Leading thoracic surgeon Igor Brichkov, MD, has joined CentraState Healthcare System, expanding access to the latest procedures for lung and esophageal cancers and benign conditions. Dr. Brichkov is board-certified in thoracic surgery and fellowship-trained in minimally invasive thoracic surgery. “New procedures are available to treat many thoracic conditions, and I’m [...]
After 18 years as a Staten Island bus driver, Middletown resident Chad Frontera finally had his work schedule align with one of the yearly free health screenings offered by the New York City Transit System union. “I never had an indication of any thyroid issues, and I had no [...]
When Maria Rotella felt a lump on the back of her left thigh, she was concerned about a blood clot and went to urgent care. The initial diagnosis was a lipoma, a harmless, fatty tumor. The 83-year-old Perth Amboy resident didn’t think much about it for several months – [...]
While the rate of new cases of lung cancer has fallen over the last 10 years, it’s still one of the top three most diagnosed cancers in the United States. CentraState thoracic surgeon Jean-Phillipe Bocage, MD, debunks common myths about the condition. 1. Only smokers can get lung cancer [...]
A few weeks after his 60th birthday, Miguel Pereira noticed that his urine was darker than usual. He made an appointment with his primary care physician, who ordered bloodwork. When the results showed very high levels of bilirubin – a normal byproduct of red blood cells – his doctor [...]
