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This article is part of a paid Content Partnership with the advertiser, Holy Name Medical Center. Daily Voice has no involvement in the writing of the article and the statements and opinions contained in it are solely those of the advertiser.

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Holy Name Develops Cancer Treatment Plans For Mind And Body

TEANECK, N.J. -- Until recently, a cancer diagnosis was often considered a death sentence. Fortunately, today cancer is often looked at as a chronic disease, an illness that can be treated for years, even decades.

Dr. Raul Parra.

Dr. Raul Parra.

Photo Credit: Holy Name Medical Center

“Early detection and improved treatment are allowing people with cancer to live longer and with a better quality of life,” said Dr. Raul Parra, Medical Director of the Regional Cancer Center at Holy Name Medical Center.

“Look at prostate cancer – it is the most common cancer in men nationwide,” said Parra, a urologic oncologist. “In New Jersey, about 8,000 new cases are diagnosed annually, with a great proportion of them in North Jersey. Because of early detection and improved treatments, the death rate has declined significantly and men diagnosed with the disease are living longer lives with a better quality of life.”

Cancer deaths have been declining over the last two decades, thanks to earlier diagnoses and advanced treatments. Expanding on these positive trends, oncologists are working with other clinical professionals to develop individualized treatment plans for each patient. Parra, who recently joined Holy Name, believes the future of cancer treatment is forming integrated teams that specialize in different types of cancer with each member holding a specific role in the treatment protocol. 

“One of my priorities at Holy Name is to form teams that consist – depending on the needs of the patient – of a surgeon, radiation oncologist, oncologist, nurse, nutritionist, physical therapist, social worker and others to not only treat the cancer but to support the entire patient,” said Parra. “In the past, we just treated the disease. Now we treat the patient as a whole.”

“For example, if a woman is successfully treated for breast cancer, there still has to be a plan in place in case she develops complications,” Parra said. “We provide support teams for patients to address all aspects of the patient and the disease, from diagnosis through recovery.”

At Holy Name, which specializes in providing health care with consideration for different cultures and practices, cancer treatment already encompasses pain management, language interpretation at all levels, physical therapy and social services.

“Most of the components are already here at Holy Name,” Parra said. “Everyone works in unison and patients not only get the best possible treatment here but they do so close to home without as much of an interruption to their lifestyle as if they travelled far to get treated.”

This article is part of a paid Content Partnership with the advertiser, Holy Name Medical Center. Daily Voice has no involvement in the writing of the article and the statements and opinions contained in it are solely those of the advertiser.

To learn more about Content Partnerships, click here.

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