“It’s a great place. My medical team has been very thorough. I’m lucky to be treated there.”
There’s never a good time to be diagnosed with cancer, but for Arthur Ashkin, PhD, of Rumson, the timing was particularly inconvenient. Dr. Ashkin, who, at 96, became the oldest person to win the Nobel Prize, was unable to attend the December 2018 awards ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, because he was in the midst of radiation treatments for lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system.
Dr. Ashkin, a former Bell Laboratories researcher, invented “optical tweezers,” which use a focused laser beam to trap microscopic objects such as viruses and bacteria, a finding that’s used in medical research. He received the call that he had won the Nobel Prize in Physics in early October. About two weeks later, he found a lump on his neck, below his ear. He made an appointment with his internist, Kenneth M. Granet, MD, Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) and a member of the Barnabas Health Medical Group. Dr. Granet’s associate, Pranathi Mandadi, MD, ordered a CT scan of Dr. Ashkin’s neck, which showed a mass in the parotid gland, which produces saliva.
In November, he had a biopsy, which revealed an aggressive lymphoma. “At first, I didn’t believe it,” says Dr. Ashkin. “I thought, How could this happen?”
A top-notch team
Dr. Granet referred Dr. Ashkin to David J. Sharon, MD, Chief of Oncology and Medical Director of the Leon Hess Cancer Center at MMC, and a member of Barnabas Health Medical Group. “Why go to New York when we have great doctors in New Jersey?” says Dr. Ashkin. Although he could have been treated at several other local cancer centers, he chose MMC. “All of my family’s doctors are at MMC,” he says. “I’ve been seeing Dr. Granet for years.”
Dr. Sharon consulted with Roger Strair, MD, Chief of Blood Disorders and a medical oncologist at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“I brought in Dr. Strair because I wanted Dr. Ashkin to see a renowned lymphoma specialist,” says Dr. Sharon. Also involved in Dr. Ashkin’s treatment were MMC radiation oncologists Sang E. Sim, MD, and Mitchell F. Weiss, MD, members of the Barnabas Health Medical Group.
Together, the physicians decided the best course of treatment would be a combination of radiation and systemic therapy, medication that attacks cancer cells throughout the body. “Due to Dr. Ashkin’s age, it was not advisable for him to undergo chemotherapy except as a last resort,” says Dr. Sharon. “The team wanted to ensure he was as comfortable as possible.”
Dr. Sharon discussed the treatment plan with Jeffrey S. Daniels, MD, Dr. Ashkin’s cardiologist, and Sharon M. Weiner, MD, his pulmonologist. “I wanted to ensure his heart and lungs could handle the treatment,” he says.
Dramatic improvement
Dr. Ashkin underwent radiation at the Leon Hess Cancer Center in December and has been taking the systemic medication. So far, the results have been favorable. The lump on Dr. Ashkin’s neck has disappeared, and his white blood cell count is now in the normal range. “I feel great,” he says. “I’ll be in seventh heaven if I stay like this.” His health has improved so dramatically that he was able to travel to a speaking engagement in Aspen, Colo., in January.
It’s too early to know if Dr. Ashkin is in remission, but Dr. Sharon is hoping for good news when he receives the results from a positron emission tomography (PET) scan in the spring. “We’re hoping this treatment puts him into a long-lasting remission,” says Dr. Sharon. “Dr. Ashkin came through the first part of treatment like a champ, and his quality of life has improved.” Dr. Ashkin concurs with his physician: “I’ve had no side effects from the treatment.”
Dr. Ashkin recommends the Leon Hess Cancer Center to friends and family without hesitation. “It’s a great place,” he says. “My medical team has been very thorough. I’m lucky to be treated there.” Today, Dr. Ashkin is hard at work on a project that involves harnessing and intensifying solar reflections. He hopes to make solar energy more affordable. Who knows? There could be another Nobel Prize in his future.
Taking the fear out of cancer treatment
Some patients worry that chemotherapy and radiation will make them sicker, but many people are able to work during treatment and keep up with their usual activities. Here’s why:
• Therapies are less toxic.
Radiation treatment is more precise than it was in the past. It targets tumors and avoids damaging normal tissue, reducing side effects. In addition, physicians are increasingly using biologic medications, which target cancer cells by interfering with specific molecules involved in tumor growth and progression. This often results in fewer side effects.
• Side effects can be managed.
These days, many medications can effectively control side effects, such as nausea and pain. In addition, a scalp-cooling system, which keeps the scalp cold during chemotherapy, can help patients retain their hair.
• Relaxation techniques are effective.
Practices such as progressive muscle relaxation and abdominal breathing can help reduce adverse reactions to chemotherapy, such as loss of appetite, nausea and acid reflux.
Visit Monmouth Medical Center to learn more about their cancer services.