Physicians

Department / Division
Obstetrics/Gynecology / Gynecology Oncology

Address
DUMC 3079
Durham, NC 27710

Appointment Telephone
919-684-3765

Office Telephone
919-684-3765

Fax Telephone
919-684-8719

Training

• MD, University of Washington School of Medicine, 1994

Residency

• OB/GYN, Duke University Medical Center, 1998

Fellowship

• Gynecologic Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, 1998-2001

Clinical Interests
Gynecologic malignancies, premalignant diseases of the cervix and vagina, immunotherapy and radiation therapy, radical pelvic surgery, reconstructive pelvic surgery, laser surgery, complicated gynecologic surgery, robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery and laparoscopy, chemotherapy and novel targeted biologic therapy, clinical trials

Research Interests
My primary research interest has focused on angiogenesis, molecular signatures, clinical trial development, and ovarian cancer.  My fundamental goal is to develop a strong translational research program at Duke University in the Gynecologic Oncology Division where knowledge we glean from our basic science research can be incorporated into our clinical trial program.  Specifically on anti-angiogenic therapy and molecular tumor signatures to direct therapy in patients with ovarian cancer to determine if a strategy that incorporates both clinical and genomic information can improve clinical outcome, minimize unnecessary toxicity, and impact positively on quality of life.
In addition I am interested in robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery for women with endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancers as well as for benign gynecologic conditions.

Industry Relationships and Collaborations (What's this?)

This physician (or a member of their immediate family) has a working relationship (i.e. consulting, research, and/or educational services) with the companies listed below. These relations have been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts.

• Abraxis BioScience, Inc.(Pharma)
• Boehringer Ingelheim
• Cellectar
• Eli Lilly & Co.
• Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
• Pfizer Inc.
• Precision Therapeutics
• Sanofi-Aventis

Representative Publications
Alvarez Secord, A., Berchuck, A. Targeted bio weapons of war against gynecologic cancers.  Contemporary Ob/Gyn 51, 48-54, 2006.
(2006)

Jones E. Alvarez Secord A. Prosnitz LR. Samulski TV. Oleson JR. Berchuck A. Clarke-Pearson D. Soper J. Dewhirst MW. Vujaskovic Z. Intra-peritoneal cisplatin and whole abdomen hyperthermia for relapsed ovarian carcinoma. International Journal of Hyperthermia. 22(2):161-72, 2006. (2006)

Secord AA, Lee PS, Darcy KM, Havrilesky LJ, Grace LA, Marks JR, Berchuck A. Maspin expression in epithelial ovarian cancer and associations with poor prognosis: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.  Gynecol Oncol.  2006 Jun;101(3):390-7. (2006) Abstract

Alvarez Secord, A., Jones, E.L., Hahn, C.A., Petros, W.P., Yu, D., Havrilesky, L.J., Soper, J.T., Berchuck, A., Spasojevic, I., Clarke-Pearson, D.L., Prosnitz, L.R., Dewhirst, M.W.  Phase I/II trial of intravenous liposomal doxorubicin and whole abdomen hyperthermia in patients with refractory ovarian cancer.  International Journal of Hyperthermia 21(4):333-347, 2005. (2005)

Alvarez Secord, A., Sayer, R., Snyder, S.A., Broadwater, G., Rodriguez, G.C., Berchuck, A., Blackwell, K.  The Relationship between serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), persistent disease and survival at second-look laparotomy in ovarian cancer.  Gynecologic Oncology  94(1):74-79, 2004.
(2004)

Alvarez, A.A, Clarke-Pearson, D.L.  Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer: second-line treatment options.  American Journal of Cancer 2:1-13, 2003.
(2003)

Havrilesky, L.J., Alvarez, A.A, Sayer, R., Soper, J.T., Berchuck, A., Clarke-Pearson, D.L., Lancaster, J.M., Rodriguez, G.C., Carney, M.E. Weekly low dose carboplatin and paclitaxel in the treatment of recurrent ovarian, primary peritoneal and fallopian tube cancer.   Gynecologic Oncology  88:51-57, 2003 (2003)

Alvarez, AA, Axelrod, JR, Whitaker, RS, Bentley, R, DOdge, RK, Rodrigues, G.  Thrombospondin-1 expression in epithelial ovarian carcinoma:  association with p53 status, tumor angiogenesis, and survival in platinum-treated patients.  Gyn Oncology 82, 273-278, 2001. (2001)

Havrilesky, L, Alvarez, AA, Whitaker, R, Marks, JR, Berchuck, A.  Loss of expression of the p16 tumor suppressor genes is more frequent in advanced ovarian cancers lacking p53 mutations. Gynecologic Oncology. 82, 273-278, 2001 (2001)

Alvarez, A, Krigman, H, Whitaker, R, Dodge, R, Rodriguez, G.  The prognostic significance of angiogenesis in epithelial ovarian carcinoma.  Clinical Cancer Research 5(3), 587-591, 1999. (1999)