Gynecology in Arizona

Gynecologic Oncology

Gynecologic oncologists at Mayo Clinic in Arizona provide innovative and advanced medical and surgical treatment for patients coping with both precancerous and malignant conditions, including:

• Cervical cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Uterine cancer
• Vaginal cancer
• Vulvar cancer

Mayo physicians work closely with referring physicians to provide personalized treatment plans that meet individual patients' needs. Patients benefit from receiving all their care in one location from an integrated team of specialists.

Physicians in Gynecologic Oncology work with the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center to provide leading-edge care to patients who have not had success with an approved treatment. The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States and the only such program in Arizona. Patients have access to the knowledge and skills of physicians and researchers in every medical specialty and, where appropriate, to clinical trials for promising treatments under investigation.

Innovative treatment options

Patients benefit from innovative and highly effective treatment options including:

• Advanced laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive technique that results in effective treatment, shorter hospital stays, less discomfort and a shorter recovery period.
• Robotic surgery, which has the same advantages as advanced laparoscopy but allows surgeons to operate with increased precision and accuracy while minimizing trauma to surrounding tissues.
• Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), which is used to treat advanced cancers that have not spread from the original tumor site in patients who might otherwise have no treatment options. In IORT, the equipment is brought directly into the patient's operating room, and a high dose of radiation is administered directly to the cancer site during surgery. Mayo Clinic Hospital is one of only nine medical centers in the world offering this treatment option.
• Intraperitoneal chemotherapy involves the direct delivery of chemotherapy into the abdomen for qualified patients with ovarian cancer. National Cancer Institute research has shown intraperitoneal chemotherapy to provide a better survival advantage, compared to intravenous chemotherapy alone.

Genetic counseling

Patients who have hereditary diseases such as cancer have access to genetic counselors to help patients understand their risks and risk management options. After a diagnosis of cancer, patients often have questions about the risk of other cancers occurring in their body as well as the risk of cancer developing in their family members. A genetic counseling consultation focuses on prevention of risk factors. It includes a complete family medical history evaluation, genetic testing (if applicable) and follow-up recommendations.