When should a woman see a gynecologic oncologist?

David Boruta, MD, Gynecologic Oncologist, Columbia St. Mary’s

Posted: June 1, 2008

A woman should see a gynecologic oncologist if they have been advised to have exploratory surgery for what could possibly be a gynecologic cancer or if they have been diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer. Research has shown that care by a gynecologic oncologist can lead to improved survival from gynecologic cancer and ensures that individualized treatment is provided.

A gynecologic oncologist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and management of cancer within a woman’s reproductive and genital organs. These include the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, vulva and vagina. Gynecologic oncologists are trained in providing comprehensive, multi-disciplinary care. Training consists of that of an obstetrician/gynecologist, after which they have two to four years of structured training in all of the effective forms of treatment of gynecologic cancers (surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and experimental treatments) as well as the biology and pathology of gynecologic cancer. Therefore, gynecologic oncologists are able to provide an outstanding degree of care for their patients.

At Columbia St. Mary’s, you and your family place an enormous amount of trust in our ability to care for you. We pride ourselves on providing compassionate and comprehensive care to our patients. That’s why, in addition to your gynecologic oncologist, your health care team may include physicians from medical and radiation oncology, pathology, radiology, and surgery. Our nursing and office staff, as well as social workers and other professionals at Columbia St. Mary’s, will strive to make your care experience positive and successful.

We hold weekly meetings where patient cases are reviewed in order to determine the best treatment plan for each individual. These plans may be carried out at Columbia St. Mary’s or communicated to physicians closer to your home, where it may be more practical or necessary to receive care. Our patients not only have access to the most current therapies available, but may also choose to join clinical trials and contribute to the future of medical care.

Every year, about 80,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with gynecologic cancers. Some can be detected through annual pelvic exams and other screenings, and are highly curable if detected at an early stage. For other gynecologic cancers, unfortunately, there are no screening tests, and patients have few or no symptoms. These can be difficult to diagnose until the cancer is advanced. The best preventative tool against most gynecologic cancers is an annual pelvic exam with an OB/GYN.

David Boruta, MD
Gynecologic Oncologist
Columbia St. Mary’s
414-326-1745

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