 Hematologist and oncologist Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum practices with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) in New Jersey. Possessing more than 30 years of experience in medicine, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has treated thousands of patients and studied new treatment options for metastatic cancers.
Metastasis refers to cancer that has spread from one organ to other parts of the body. This occurs when cancer cells break from the original tumor and move through the lymph system or bloodstream to new locations. Most of the time, cancers of varying types metastasize to the lungs, brain, bones, and liver. However, cancer cells can grow in other areas, including the skin, adrenal gland, and muscle. The location of metastatic cancer largely affects the symptoms a patient experiences. In certain cases, metastasis is not accompanied by any symptoms. Because of this, the condition can be difficult to diagnose if patients do not have a follow-up care plan.
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 For more than three decades, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has treated patients with blood disorders and cancer as a hematologist-oncologist. Practicing at Regional Cancer Care Associates, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has cared for thousands of patients over the years, in addition to undertaking clinical research on such conditions as multiple myeloma.
A type of blood cancer, multiple myeloma causes the body to release too much protein, which builds up and eventually damages the organs. Although scientists have not identified a specific cause, they have linked the condition to the presence of an abnormal plasma cell in the bone marrow. This abnormal cell rapidly multiplies and overwhelms healthy cell production, pushing healthy cells out of the bone marrow and leaving a high number of multiple myeloma cells. This abnormal cell may be the result of either a mutation in the oncogenes, a part of the DNA that contains instructions for how to grow and divide cells, or an abnormality in the chromosomes. Several studies have revealed that people with multiple myeloma are missing parts of the 17th chromosome in their DNA, while others have found that people with the condition have one chromosome switched with another.  Specializing in treating patients with blood cancers and other blood disorders, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, has served as a hematologist and oncologist with Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC, since 2012. Continually honing his education in the field, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum belongs to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
A recent study featured in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association shows that economic background can play a significant role in the quality of cancer care that patients receive. ASCO President Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FACS, FASCO, commented on the study’s findings by affirming the conclusion that advances in cancer care have not always translated into better outcomes, especially for those who come from low-income backgrounds. ASCO also joined JAMA researchers in urging policymakers and other stakeholders to push for public health initiatives targeting underserved areas to help them get access to better cancer care. The organization has been partnering with local health departments to provide smoking cessation courses and says it will continue to work with other public health entities to address other issues, such as smoking, obesity, and lack of physical activity, that tend to be more prevalent in patients from lower-income backgrounds.  Award-winning physician Kenneth D. Nahum practices with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) as a hematologist and oncologist. Possessing more than three decades of experience, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has helped thousands of patients with various disorders, including hemophilia.
An inherited disorder on the X chromosome, hemophilia prevents the proper clotting of blood. Since women inherit two X chromosomes, one from each parent, they are less likely to develop hemophilia than men. The presence of a second X chromosome prevents the development of this condition in many women, providing a second copy of the same genes. Men do not have this second copy since they have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, which allows the mutated X chromosome to have more of an impact. In most cases, women are carriers of hemophilia. However, about a third of these women also display mild hemophilia symptoms, such as impaired blood clotting. These women may have approximately 30 to 70 percent of the blood-clotting ability of someone who is not a carrier of the hemophilia mutation. Carriers may experience heavy menstrual periods characterized by clots larger than a quarter, bleeding for more than seven days, or a large amount of blood that limits daily activities. Heavy bleeding from childbirth or dental surgery is also common among women who carry the hemophilia mutation. Some women are diagnosed with hemophilia because they either inherited a mutated X chromosome from both parents, meaning they have two mutated X chromosomes, or their non-mutated X chromosome is either inactive or missing. This situation is extremely rare, but it does result in hemophilia symptoms similar to the symptoms in males with hemophilia.  A Howell, New Jersey, medical practitioner, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, provides knowledgeable hematology and oncology care for patients living with cancer and blood disorders. Areas in which Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has extensive experience include autologous stem cell transplantation, which involves the replacement of the blood stem cells, which are needed to generate new blood cells.
Typically undertaken in tandem with high-dose chemotherapy associated with lymphoma, the process starts before chemotherapy with the collection and storage of one’s own blood stem cells. This requires “mobilization,” or the transfer of stem cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream, and is accomplished via daily injections of G-CSF or a similar naturally occurring growth factor. This stimulates the bone marrow to produce more stem cells than usual and encourages their movement into the bloodstream. With growth factor injections lasting 7-10 days, side effects are usually minimal and include bone and muscle aches and pains. Once a sufficient number of stem cells have accumulated in the bloodstream, a cell separation device is employed to separate stem cells from blood extracted from one arm before returning the blood to the other arm. This stem cell material is then stored until after chemotherapy when it can be returned to the bloodstream and used to replenish the body’s stores.  Experienced in the fields of hematology and oncology, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, has spent 30 years providing care for thousands of patients with cancer and blood disorders. In 2006, The Ashley Lauren Foundation (ALF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to pediatric cancer patients, honored Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum, together with his wife and children, for his contributions to the organization.
Monica Vermeulen, the mother of cancer survivor Ashley Lauren, established ALF to help pediatric cancer patients and their families face the daily battles brought about by the disease. Operating independently and with the support of the community in New Jersey, ALF not only provides financial and emotional assistance, but also offers programs, including the following, designed to inspire and encourage the children: - Hope Bag. During a child’s hospital visit, he or she brings this large tote bag that contains fun items and necessities such as toiletries and healthy snacks. More than the content of the bag, the Hope Bag is meant to bring hope, comfort, and love to a child and his or her family. - Hospital Parties. ALF partners with different hospitals in the New Jersey area to coordinate holiday and season-themed parties for not only children receiving daily treatments as outpatients, but also inpatients who need to stay a few days for more treatments. The parties are packed with activities, arts and crafts, games, and more.  Board certified in hematology, internal medicine, and medical oncology, Kenneth D. Nahum practices with Regional Cancer Care Associates as a hematologist and oncologist. In this capacity, Kenneth D. Nahum has treated thousands of patients with various types of blood disorders.
A bleeding disorder characterized by poor blood clotting or abnormal bleeding, hemophilia is misunderstood by a large number of people. Following are three common misconceptions: People outgrow it. Since hemophilia is caused by a lack of a blood clotting protein, people do not outgrow the disorder. Nor does their hemophilia become less severe as they get older. In actuality, the amount of the blood clotting protein that a person has stays consistent throughout his or her life. Minor cuts can kill someone with hemophilia. In most cases, minor cuts are managed with a Band-Aid or other material to help the wound clot. These types of wounds are not fatal because hemophilia does not cause someone to bleed faster than normal. Internal bleeding is a concern for people with hemophilia, however, since their bodies are less capable of clotting properly. Hemophilia is curable with the right vitamins and foods. Unfortunately, vitamins and foods do not contain the essential clotting protein that people with hemophilia are missing. Certain vitamins or foods may control bleeding when taken at the time of an injury, but they cannot cure the disease.  An oncologist and hematologist in New Jersey, Kenneth D. Nahum divides his time between treating patients with cancer and blood disorders at Regional Cancer Care Associates and teaching at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Over the course of his career, Kenneth D. Nahum has conducted research into conditions such as colorectal cancer.
Roughly 96 percent of all colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas. This type of colorectal cancer forms in the cells responsible for creating the mucus inside the rectum and colon. In most cases, it develops in the inner lining of the rectum and colon and spreads to other layers over time. About 10 to 15 percent of all adenocarcinomas are mucinous. This subtype is more aggressive than normal adenocarcinomas because it primarily affects the mucus cells in the rectum and colon. Meanwhile, signet ring cell adenocarcinoma is rarer and accounts for less than 1 percent of adenocarcinomas. Another aggressive subtype, it is more difficult to treat. There are also several less common types of colorectal cancers, including carcinoid tumors, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), sarcomas, and lymphomas. Carcinoid tumors form in the intestines among hormone-making cells. They are usually slow-growing and account for about 1 percent of all colorectal cancers. GISTs are typically found in the gastrointestinal tract and are a soft tissue sarcoma, a form of cancer that starts in the muscle layers, blood vessels, or other connective tissues. Lymphomas develop in the immune system cells in the rectum, colon, or other organs.  Kenneth D. Nahum received his medical training from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He went on to pursue a career in hematology and oncology, and has been affiliated with the Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) since 2012. Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum is also a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
ASCO, founded in 1964, is the premier professional organization for oncology professionals. The organization is at the forefront of policies and programs intended to guide oncologists in providing the best possible care for patients, including the Diversity in Oncology Initiative. The Diversity in Oncology Initiative is a landmark strategic plan to provide a framework for increasing the racial and ethnic diversity within the oncology community. This ultimately aims to bring quality cancer care to minorities who otherwise would have difficulty accessing it. One aspect of the initiative is the Diversity Mentoring Program, which encourages medical students and residents belonging to minority populations to pursue a career in oncology. With the help of oncologists who would stand as mentors, physicians-in-training can receive much-needed career and educational guidance. There is currently an underrepresentation of minority physicians in the medical field, especially in hematology and oncology. Less than six percent of the oncology workforce identifies as Hispanic and only around two percent as African-American – figures not congruent with the percentage of each demographic in the entire US population.  A physician with more than 35 years of experience, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum treats patients at Regional Cancer Care Associates in Howell, New Jersey. Over the course of his career, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has been named a New Jersey Top Doctor four times.
Administered by New Jersey Monthly magazine, the Jersey Choice Top Doctors program recognizes outstanding medical practitioners who have earned the respect and trust of their patients and peers. Each year, New Jersey Monthly bases its selections on an independent survey mailed to all New Jersey physicians who have been practicing in the state for at least five years. The questionnaire invites the doctors to recommend a peer they would trust to treat members of their own family. Physicians with the most recommendations from their peers are placed on a preliminary list for professional review by a panel of 25 doctors. Any physician with a history of serious professional infractions is removed from the list prior to the panel review. Those who remain on the list are examined further by the panel, which makes final recommendations for who should be named a Jersey Top Doctor. In 2016, more than 24,000 physicians were invited to take the Top Doctor survey, and New Jersey Monthly selected 1,069 doctors for the award. The physicians selected represent 71 medical specialties across the state. |
AuthorA practicing partner of Regional Cancer Care Associates, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, has over 30 years of experience treating cancer patients in New Jersey and surrounding areas. Archives
July 2018
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