GYNECOLOGICAL CANCER

Every year approximately 75,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with some form of a malignant tumor of the female genital tract that includes the uterus, ovary, fallopian tubes, cervix, and vulva/vagina. The first sign is usually abnormal vaginal bleeding (often after menopause). A gynecologic oncologist with special oncology training following an obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) residency usually makes the diagnosis.

GYN Applicator

At the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine affiliated hospitals, a group of nationally recognized physicians in the fields of gynecologic oncology, radiation oncology and pathology meet as a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive assessment of patients with malignant gynecologic tumors and make individualized treatment plans. Many protocols are available for patients with these diseases, with several devised by the clinical faculty at the Miller School of Medicine. Aaron Wolfson, M.D., is responsible for this area of treatment. He has achieved national prominence in this area of cancer treatment and serves in the National Gynecologic Oncology Group.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often used in combination to avoid extensive surgical removal of female body parts. Radiation therapy may involve both external beam irradiation with a high-energy linear accelerator and the delivery of an internal implant of radioactive sources (brachytherapy) to the vagina, cervix, and uterus. Low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy may require the patient to remain in the hospital for several days. High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy enables the patient to go home the same day.

The Department of Radiation Oncology has received a patent from the United States Patent Office for a novel LDR brachytherapy device. We anticipate being able to use this device to treat malignant tumors of the female genital tract in the near future.