Dr. Joshua N. Halpern MD
Radiation Oncologist | Radiation Oncology
Rating
5/5
About
Joshua N. Halpern, MD, works at Seagate Radiology Oncology PC in Brooklyn, New York. A board certified radiation oncologist, Dr. Halpern uses a variety of radiation techniques to help treat cancers. These treatments have remarkable success rates without causing harm to surrounding tissues. In the past, Dr. Halpern has had faculty appointments at Cornell University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. With 40 years of medical experience, Dr. Halpern is a radiation oncologist.
Education and Training
Hadassah Medical School
The Hebrew Univ- Hadassah Med Sch- Jerusalem- Israel 1977
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Medicine
Board Certification
American Board of Physician Specialties- Radiation Oncology
Provider Details
Dr. Joshua N. Halpern MD's Expert Contributions
How long does palliative radiotherapy prolong life?
It depends on the primary condition. Outcome will not be determined by the local control of metastases but the overall prognosis. Palliation usually controls only local pain or any other local symptom. READ MORE
Is radiation therapy for breast cancer painful?
External beam radiation does not hurt, but may produce rarely some skin reaction similar to a sunburn which heals like a sunburn. Sometimes, the breast radiation is done interstitially, inside the breast tissue, which needs to be discussed with the doctor who does the procedure. READ MORE
Lung nodules?
These may be old "granulomas" which are benign conditions. If there are any old chest X-rays or CT's to compare and these lesions were there before, you don't need to worry. If these lesions are new, they will need immediate attention. READ MORE
My risk of death from prostate cancer?
Prognosis is determined by many factors including the aggressiveness of the cancer cells, the amount of cancer burden potential spread etc. Without obtaining the actual tissue, it is not possible to make a determination. If treatment is needed, it may be curative and it may require surgery, radiation and or additional medication, depending on the stage of the disease. READ MORE
How long does it take to recover from radiation therapy?
Radiation treatments are directed to an involved area. Usually, current radiation can be administered with minimal toxicity, so it is well tolerated from the outset, but again depends on the site of the treatment. On the average, toxicity should resolve in a few days to a few weeks. READ MORE
What is the success rate of radiation therapy?
Radiation does not spread systemically, so it only palliates in metastatic cancer. Local effect depends on the tumor type. It may be more than 90% curative in prostate cancer and not effective in pancreatic cancer. READ MORE
How long is your immune system compromised after chemo and radiation?
Radiation does not affect the immune system if it is not treating large amounts of bone marrow, as it is not spreading outside the treated areas. Chemotherapy induced immunosuppression depends on the agents involved and may last weeks to months. READ MORE
Why does radiation cause hair loss?
Radiation can cause hair loss only in the treated area, by preventing temporarily cell growth of the hair root, similarly to preventing permanently cancer cell growth. However, without scalp radiation, one would not have hair loss. READ MORE
Do tumors continue to shrink after radiation?
Depending on the rate of the initial growth rate, cancer cell continue to die for many months or even years after the initial radiation effect. This may be attributed to irreversible radiation damage to the cancer cell DNA. This in turn causes cell death at the time of cell multiplication, which may happen long after the last radiation session READ MORE
How much water should you drink during radiation?
Hydration is important regardless of any treatment. It is more important if urinary bladder is included in the treatment field, as flushing of the urinary tract may reduce the side effects READ MORE
Can you eat before radiation treatment?
Radiation may require diet restrictions if the treatment volume includes stomach or bowel. If digestive organs are not irradiated, diet should be regular. The timing of the meals is not important except for stomach irradiation, which may cause nausea. READ MORE
Should I consider natural medicine for cancer?
Natural dietary supplements have not shown any effect in the treatment of cancer, while omega3 may increase the incidence of cancer. Antioxidants and other supplements also showed a deleterious effect and should actually be avoided. Most of the new cancer treatments have less toxicity than previously and are effective and should be discussed with your doctor READ MORE
When is radiation therapy considered over chemotherapy?
Radiation therapy is more effective locally and for locally advanced breast cancer it is indicated and useful. It is not a substitute to chemotherapy and other "systemic" treatments, as radiation is not effective outside the treatment field. READ MORE
What is the success rate for radiation on cancer?
Radiation has been studied for more than 50 years. The indications are determined by long term clinical studied for each type of cancer. For some cancer, such as localized prostate cancer radiation is very effective. For blood cancer like leukemia is not effective because these are wide spread cancer which cannot be covered by radiation fields. READ MORE
What happens to dead cancer cells after radiation?
Dead cancer cells are removed by inflammatory cell called macrophages, which swallow the cell debris and remove it. READ MORE
What is the most common acute side effect of radiation treatment?
Radiation does not spread outside the targeted area. Side effects depend therefore what area is treated. If bowel is treated, you may have loose stools. Radiation of urinary bladder would cause urinary frequency or discomfort etc. Radiation treatments are devised with toxicity in mind, so they may be easily tolerated. READ MORE
What helps with radiation treatment pain?
Cancer pain is usually caused by the pressure produces by the bulk of the tumor. Radiation is reducing the tumor volume and consequently the pressure on surrounding tissues and sensory nerves. The pain relief is very effective, but not permanent. READ MORE
Prostate radiation psa?
Following radiation treatment, the PSA drops slowly within a few months. Lupron may hasten the PSA response, but because the prostate is not removed, it will not be zero. Prognostication is based on the follow up on the PSA value and not on the individual test. In your case, you will need a follow up PSA test for comparison, which probably was ordered by your doctor. READ MORE
How long does it take for radiation to shrink a tumor?
Response to radiation depends on the rate of the growth of the cancer cells. Rapidly growing cells are killed faster than slowly growing ones. That is why tumor shrinkage depends on the nature of the cell and the observed initial growth rate. On the average, shrinkage will be notified between weeks to months. READ MORE
How do you prevent hair loss during radiation treatments?
Radiation will not cause hair loss in non treated areas. Chemotherapy will spread systemically and may cause hair loss. For example, breast irradiation will not cause any hair loss, except for the armpit, only if the armpit area is treated. READ MORE
Faculty Titles & Positions
- Teaches at the Hospital and Holds an Academic Appointment at Cornell -
Professional Memberships
- Member International Association of HealthCare Professionals
Fellowships
- MD Anderson Cancer Center; Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Professional Society Memberships
- American Medical Association, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society for Radiation Oncology
What do you attribute your success to?
Hard Work, Dedication, and Great Opportunities to Further his Practice and Excellent Fellowship Training
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