Pictured at a follow-up visit with NJ Surgical Specialists in Lakewood, from left, are general surgeon Dr. Grace Lepis, patient Lucy Colon and specialty surgeon Dr. William Boyan.
Lakewood, NJ- Putting her trust in her doctors came easily for Lucy Colon of Toms River, when her health journey began at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus (MMCSC), where she was cared for by general surgeon Grace Lepis, MD, MPH, FACS.
After suffering from abdominal pain for several days, Lucy sought medical attention in MMCSC’s Emergency Department. There she met Dr. Lepis who, after some testing, performed a minimally invasive gallbladder removal called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Lucy recovered well from the operation, but had persistent abnormal blood tests so additional diagnostic procedures were performed which showed she had an unusual pathologic finding. Lucy had an ampullary adenoma, a type of growth at the end of her bile duct. Not only can this type of growth be cancerous but it was causing a blockage of her bile ducts and liver.
After thoroughly explaining the reasons behind the bile duct blockage to Lucy and her daughter, Dr. Lepis referred Lucy’s care to William Boyan, Jr., MD, FACS, who specializes in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. Both Dr. Lepis and Dr. Boyan are surgeons with NJ Surgical Specialists, an RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group practice. Dr. Boyan is also a member of the surgical oncology program at Rutgers Cancer Institute.
“My daughter and I were very worried about a second surgery and the mass being cancerous,” explained Lucy. “But after the compassionate care I received at Monmouth South and the referral from Dr. Lepis, I felt confident and safe continuing another procedure with Dr. Boyan.”
Dr. Boyan ordered additional testing and imaging, all of which were performed close to her home at MMCSC. Dr Boyan explained there was a mass growing at the end of her bile duct where it entered her small intestine, an area called the ampulla. Lucy’s case was presented at both the Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus Multidisciplinary Tumor Board and the Gastrointestinal Multidiscipinary Tumor Board at the Rutgers Cancer Institute. It was determined the Lucy’s condition was most likely benign and pre-malignant. It’s removal would require an unusual operative procedure called an ampullectomy to relieve Lucy’s bile duct blockage and prevent the mass from developing into a cancer.
She underwent her second surgery at Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) in Long Branch by Drs. Will Boyan and H. Richard Alexander, Chief Surgical Officer at the Rutgers Cancer Institute and gastrointestinal surgical oncologist. Her mass was removed with negative margins through an ampullectomy, leaving no disease behind. Her case was reviewed again at the Rutgers Cancer Institute’s Gastrointestinal Multidisciplinary Tumor Board, where it was determined that Lucy’s condition was pre-malignant and did not require any further treatment given the success of Drs. Boyan’s and Alexander’s procedure. Lucy was discharged a few short days after her surgery to recover at home, surrounded by family. Monmouth Medical Center and its Southern Campus together with Rutgers Cancer Institute, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, provide patients access to the most advanced cancer treatments including complex surgical procedures, sophisticated radiation therapy techniques and innovative clinical trials, close to home.
Although having two surgeries can be daunting, Drs. Lepis and Boyan, as well as the teams at MMCSC and MMC ensured Lucy and her family were confident in the expertise of her surgical teams, whose care allowed Lucy to return home to her family, cancer free. Lucy follows-up with Dr. Boyan every six months with yearly blood work and CT scan and has no evidence of disease.
ABOUT RWJBARNABAS HEALTH
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its diverse communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate and equitable manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 43,000 employees, contributing more than $5.5 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org
CONTACT: Laurie Zalepka
732-886-4590,