Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health Experts Available for Comment on Skin Cancer and Sun Safety through Summer Months

New Brunswick, N.J., May 23, 2022– According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. While we all want to enjoy the outdoors this summer, increased fun in the sun means an increased risk for skin cancer if proper precautions aren’t taken. As Memorial Day Weekend and the start of the summer season fast approach, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, together with RWJBarnabas Health, is offering experts for comment on skin cancer, the risks of developing the disease and what steps can be taken to prevent and treat it. As New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute provides collaborative, multidisciplinary care to patients diagnosed with skin cancer and helps individuals learn about skin cancer awareness and prevention.

Adam C. Berger, MD, FACS, is chief of Melanoma and Soft Tissue Surgical Oncology Program,  and associate director for shared resources at Rutgers Cancer Institute; and professor of surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Berger specializes in melanoma and other complex cutaneous oncological malignancies such as merkel cell carcinoma, locally advanced basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and eccrine carcinoma. He is involved in clinical research and is an active investigator for numerous cancer clinical trials including adjuvant immunotherapy and vaccine trials for patients with advanced stage melanoma.

Sarah Weiss, MD, is director of the Melanoma/Cutaneous Oncology Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute and associate professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Her clinical expertise includes treatment of advanced melanoma and other cutaneous malignancies (merkel cell, basal cell, and squamous cell carcinomas). Dr. Weiss’ primary research interests are focused on developing innovative immunotherapeutic strategies to treat advanced skin cancers, particularly for those patients who have not responded to standard of care therapies. Weiss has a passion for clinical research and is committed to providing the most personalized and up-to-date treatment for her patients, particularly in the form of clinical trials.

Franz Omar Smith, MD, MAcM, FACS, is a surgeon seeing patients at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and Clara Maass Medical Center, both RWJBarnabas Health facilities. Dr. Smith is the northern lead for the Melanoma and Soft Tissue Oncology Program and medical director of the Melanoma Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. In addition to his clinical responsibilities, he is also director of Graduate Medical Education and Chief Academic Officer for Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. He specializes in surgical oncology with expertise in cutaneous oncology and sarcoma surgery.

Victor Gall, MD, is a general surgeon treating patients at Community Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center, both RWJBarnabas Health facilities. Dr. Gall’s clinical interests include minimally invasive / robotic surgical procedures, and he treats melanoma and soft tissue sarcoma.

Carolyn J. Heckman, PhD, is co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute and an associate professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.  Dr. Heckman’s research program focuses on developing, evaluating, and disseminating innovative interventions to improve cancer risk and risk-reduction behaviors, primarily related to skin cancer. She is a member of the National Institute of Health Community Level Health Promotion study section and she is on the Editorial Board of the journal Translational Behavioral Medicine.