If you or someone in your family is diagnosed with cancer, look no further than Bayshore Community Health Services for the highest level of medical care.

Bayshore Community Hospital-which was recently accredited as a Community Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer-has the staff and medical expertise on hand to treat 95 percent of all cancers right here in Central New Jersey. And because of its affiliation with the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, those patients who cannot be treated locally can be easily referred for additional consultation and care.

"Our hospital and staff can provide quality cancer care services for the initial treatment of all cancers and the follow-up treatment of the vast majority," says Michael J. Kane, M.D., FACP., board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology, and medical director of the cancer program. "We offer a multidisciplinary, fact-based approach to cancer care, which utilizes a team of cancer specialists to determine the best approach to patients' cancer treatments."

This unique approach, known as the Cancer Case Discussion Conference, brings together surgeons, radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, and nurses twice a month to talk about various approaches to treatment and come to an agreement regarding how to proceed for each patient.

"After listening to every field's perspective, we can make a more informed group decision about care," Dr. Kane says. "The Cancer Care Discussion Conference allows us to discuss treatments that will provide the greatest opportunity for success."

A group of women joined Dr. Kane on Friday, May 4, at Brookdale Community College for "Women Taking Charge of Their Health," a special lecture where Dr. Kane addressed a series of topics, including bioidentical hormones, nutrition, osteoporosis, and cancer screenings for women.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet
In the past, many patients who underwent chemotherapy lost weight during their treatments because of long bouts with nausea and vomiting as side effects of the harsh medications. However, thanks to the advent of newer anti-nausea medications, patients are finding that their eating habits don't have to be affected. "If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting, a good rule of thumb is to shift from three standard meals a day to five or six smaller meals," says Dr. Kane. "On days you have chemotherapy, eat lighter meals and drink plenty of fluids to reduce the risk of nausea." With less nausea, many patients find that they don't need nutritional supplements or vitamins. However, because supplements or vitamins can cause the chemotherapy to be less effective or influence the intensity of side effects, always talk to your oncologist.