An avid golfer and fisherman, Tom Hurley, 71, is no stranger to the sun. The Lakewood man also knows when to see the advice of a trusted doctor.
Noticing that a painful cold sore on his lip was not getting better, Tom made an appointment with his family practice physician, John Gumina, M.D., of Jersey Shore University Medical Center. "Dr. Gumina doesn't miss much," Tom says. "I've been going to him for 10 years, and he always knows exactly what I'm there for and what I'm going to need."
Unfortunately, it was more serious than a cold sore. A dermatologist biopsied the growth, and Tom was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the lip, or lip cancer. A surgeon was able to remove some of the cancerous cells, but the lesion continued to grow.
"When someone tells you that you have cancer, you're definitely worried," Tom says. "But that team at Jersey Shore had a plan."
The radiation oncologist, Jonathan Briggs, M.D., and plastic surgeon, Alan Zaccaria, M.D., agreed that the lip lesion was too large to operate on, as it would cause disfigurement.
Instead, the team settled on radiation as a treatment option. "The radiation plan was aimed at shrinking the tumor to eradicate the cancer or help improve the outcome of surgery," says Dr. Briggs.
During summer 2009, Tom visited Jersey Shore five days a week for six weeks to receive radiation therapy. What he realized right away was that the care there was exceptional. "That crew treats you like family -- whether it's the receptionist, a technician, or a nurse," Tom says. "And Dr. Briggs takes his time and lets you know what to expect."
Following radiation, another biopsy was performed to check for cancer. "The pathology showed the squamous cell carcinoma was there but had not spread," Dr. Zaccaria explains. Surgery would be necessary to remove the last of the cancer, which was forunately a much smaller lesion because of the radiation therapy.
Tom was ready for surgery and very confident, thanks to Dr. Zaccaria. "He told me, 'I'm not letting you off that operating table until I get it all and the cancer is gone.'"
Dr. Zaccaria kept his promise, too. Tom's lip cancer is gone, with not even a visible scar to remember it by.
Surgery and recovery were quick. Tom applied topical antibiotic ointment to his lip and had follow-up visits with Dr. Zaccaria.
Today he's back to enjoying his boat and golf. He's careful to stay out of the sun and always uses sunscreen. His advice to other outdoorsmen? "Cloudy days are the worst. You may not think the sun is out, but that's when you have to be most careful," he advises.
About the Doctors
Jonathan H. Briggs, M.D.
Board certified in Radiation Oncology and Radiology
Neptune | 732-776-4404
Alan Zaccaria, M.D.
Board certified in General Surgery and Plastic Surgery
Little Silver | 732-530-8565
