Our Approach to Cancer
At the Statesir Cancer Center at CentraState, we take cancer personally. Whether bringing you the latest in cancer screenings and education or
providing innovative new cancer treatment options and support when patients and their families need it most, the Statesir Cancer Center at
CentraState is committed to pairing expertise and technology with the comfort, convenience, and personal attention that make a true difference
in your personal fight against cancer.
Personal Cancer Care
CentraState’s approach to cancer care includes access to cancer specialists who have trained at some of the nation’s most prestigious schools and cancer programs allowing them to create individualized treatment plans based on each person’s unique situation and profile. Your age, severity of the cancer, whether it is a recurrence of a pre-existing cancer, potential complications or side effects, and more, are all taken into consideration with our multi-disciplinary team whose only focus is you and your cancer.
It’s everything you would find at a major metropolitan cancer center in NJ or NY —but close to home, right here at CentraState where we get to know you — really know you. Because at The Statesir Cancer Center at CentraState, your cancer care is personal.
Giving You Our
PERSONAL BEST
Our cancer specialists have trained at some of the country’s most prestigious medical institutions, and provide groundbreaking treatments, clinical trials, and technology. But they also provide something equally important — a true partnership with their patients. The kind that builds bonds, inspires trust, and creates relationships that last a lifetime.
Click on the photos to learn more about our doctors.
“I learn something from every person that I meet every day. And it’s hard to put it into words really. I think I have a better appreciation of life. I have a better appreciation of what is important and what’s not so important. In my opinion, it’s such a rewarding profession there’s nothing that allows me to be more deeply involved in a person’s life.”
– Bhavesh Balar, MD, oncologist
“CentraState has a unique set of circumstances… it’s a community hospital but it has access to really excellent modalities for cancer. We do robotic surgery; we do radiation; we do proton therapy and precision medicine. So really when you come here you have a full capacity of different options at your disposal. Plus, we don’t just offer individualized treatment, we offer individualized care. It’s the best of both worlds.”
– Troy Sukkarieh, MD, urologic surgeon
“Cancer treatment isn’t a one-day event; it’s an ongoing process. In addition to offering the latest technologies, we provide one-on-one care in which patients maintain their individuality and can see the same specialists right from the start. These are just a few of the advantages of our community-based cancer program.”
– John Pellegrino, MD, breast surgeon
“Our approach may be different from what people have experienced in other healthcare settings – but we’re not afraid to blaze our own path – in the O.R. or in the office – to make for a healthier and happier patient experience. Our patients’ health and well-being is our paramount concern. Our goal is simple: to eliminate any anxiety and confusion that patients are experiencing with thorough answers, articulate advice and an open door for any concern they may have.”
– Jean-Phillipe Bocage, MD, thoracic surgeon
“I’ve been a patient, and I’ve been the family member of a patient. I see the need for guidance, for words, for education, for hope. And I think that opportunity to be entrusted with someone’s care on a personal level during such a crucial time in their life is an honor.”
– Edward Soffen, MD, radiation oncologist
“I see the cancer center as an ‘ecosystem’ of interdisciplinary care that places our patients and our community at the forefront of all of our efforts.”
– Alexander Itskovich, MD, medical director
“It’s wonderful that we can offer the most cutting-edge technologies here in a community-setting closer to home. My passion is treating patients. That’s what I love to do. I love that we can give them the highest level of care, right here in their hometown where they hopefully feel comfortable, where they have family and friends around them to support them. In our department, nobody’s a number. Everyone has a name. We get to know the patient, we get to know their family, their friends. And so I think we make a difference in people’s lives and making it happen here is wonderful.”
– Neesha Rodrigues, MD, radiation oncologist
“Pathology is one of the starting points in the accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment of cancer. We are continually expanding our toolkit to analyze the unique biological and genetic makeup of a tumor. This guides us to more effective treatments and a better treatment experience for our patients.”
– Paul Simon, DO, pathologist
Thomas Kayal, MD, colorectal surgeon
Thomas Kayal, MD, is board-certified in colorectal surgery, offering minimally invasive robotic surgery for colon and rectum cancers and for diverticular disease. He specializes in the management of fissures, fistulas and hemorrhoids.
