Learn why a renowned surgical oncologist chooses this side of the river.
Russell C. Langan, MD, FACS, is a surgical oncologist on staff at Jersey City Medical Center with a specialty in diseases of the liver, pancreas, bile ducts, and intestinal tract. Dr. Langan and his wife, who is also a physician, have two children, ages 4 and 6, and they have chosen to live and raise their family in Jersey City.
Why did you choose oncological surgery as your focus?
When I was a young resident, I noticed there was a different relationship between the patient and physician when cancer was at the heart of that relationship. It became very clear to me that cancer surgeons can offer patients the potential for extension of life, and there’s just nothing more precious than that.
In medicine, generally speaking, interactions between patients and physicians are transient. But when a patient has cancer, the physician they choose to be involved in their care stays with them for life. These patients give us ultimate trust, which is amazing.
You have said that you are motivated by giving people hope.
Many patients with aggressive cancer come to my office and say OK, that’s it. I’m going to die. They don’t realize that the survival rate statistic they found online is just the average. Meaning, 50 percent of patients are going to live longer than the average statistic, and you don’t know where you’re going to fall on that curve.
So we lay out modern, aggressive, high-quality treatment plans for patients, and many times they walk away saying, you know what, there is hope here. They just had to be given the data and the information.
You and your colleagues at Jersey City Medical Center collaborate with many different types of specialists. How does that work?
It works exceedingly well. In our multidisciplinary tumor board team, we have board-certified surgical oncologists, oncologists, radiation oncologists, gastroenterologists, genetic counselors, dietitians, and other specialists working together under one health care system, RWJBarnabas Health, in collaboration with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
On a weekly basis, we spend three hours together discussing cases. The algorithm of care changes often during these conferences because other physicians suggest different approaches, driven by modern medical data. We strive to offer patients novel, effective, and safe care that is personalized for them. That’s the way cancer should be practiced in 2020, and that’s how we do it at Jersey City Medical Center.
On the personal side, what made you and your wife choose to live in Jersey City?
We had been living in Manhattan, and while we were expecting our second child, it was clear that we wanted more space. While looking throughout the greater New York City area, we absolutely fell in love with Jersey City. It was clear that Jersey City had a very strong sense of community and access to activities for all ages. Since moving, we have never looked back. It is truly a wonderful environment to raise a family in! We spend a fair amount of time with our kids at Hamilton Park, and we are always bumping into families we know.
Jersey City has a special feeling to it. You’re part of a community of people who care for each other and are trying to make the city the best place it can be.
We are doing the same at Jersey City Medical Center. I, along with many of my colleagues, previously worked in New York City and we’ve chosen to practice here in New Jersey, and specifically in Jersey City.
RWJBarnabas Health and Jersey City Medical Center, together with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey—the state’s only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center— provide close-to-home access to the latest treatment options. For more information visit Cancer Care at Jersey City Medical Center. To make an appointment, call 844.CANCERNJ (844-226-2376).