Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States.

It is estimated that 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer and 39,000 new cases of uterine cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. Approximately 11,000 cases of cervical cancer are estimated to be diagnosed each year.

Although ovarian cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages, when diagnosed and treated while the disease is localized, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent.

In addition, incidence rates of cervical cancer are decreasing significantly in recent decades, as Pap screenings are more prevalent.

Treatments Offered

Treatment modalities offered through our program include:

• Surgery, including radical cancer surgery and minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic procedures
• Chemotherapy -- the use of drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells
• Radiation therapy -- the use of high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells
• Diagnosis of hereditary cancer syndromes and prophylactic surgery
• Colposcopy (a procedure in which caregivers look inside the vagina and cervix to check for abnormal areas) and treatment of dysplasia of the cervix, vagina, and vulva
• Second opinions regarding treatment rendered elsewhere

As part of a leading academic medical center, the Gynecologic Oncology program also offers patients access to clinical trials of new therapies for gynecologic cancers.

Communicating with Your Other Doctors

In addition to providing excellent care at Duke, we understand the importance of communicating with the other doctors who care for you.

We routinely provide copies of our dictated notes to them when you are seen at Duke and are available to talk on the phone to coordinate your care.

This is a particularly valuable service for patients who do not live close to Duke University Medical Center.

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Berchuck, Andrew
• Havrilesky, Laura J.
• Lee, Paula S.
• Secord, Angeles Alvarez
• Valea, Fidel A.

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Cancer Center Raleigh
  3404 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27609
• Duke Gynecology/Oncology
  3404 Wake Forest Road, Lower Lobby, Raleigh, NC 27609
• Morris Cancer Clinic
  Morris Building, 200 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710