UCHealth was recently ranked High Performing in Ovarian Cancer Surgery by U.S. News & World Report. We are honored to be in the company of other high preforming hospitals including Baylor University, Cleveland Clinic and MD Anderson.
CU Gynecologic Oncology Summer/Fall 2022 Newsletter
Interested in clinical trials?
The Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Colorado has established itself as one of the leading centers in the country for clinical trials. Every year we are recognized as top enrollers to local, national, and international clinical trials. The faculty in our division hold several leadership positions in the national organizations such as the NRG and GOG (Gynecologic Oncology Group). Not only are we often a participating center in the clinical trials, but our providers are also the principal investigators responsible for developing these trials.
The goal of our division is to be able to offer clinical trial opportunities to each of our patients and discuss if it is the right decision for them. We offer a wide range of clinical trials from phase 1 to phase 3, and we often have multiple clinical trial options for each patient. We carry a breadth of trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and industry, as well as local investigator-initiated trials. We believe trongly that clinical trials should be an option for all our patients.
If you are interested in learning more about clinical trials at The University of Colorado Cancer Center, please visit the Women's Cancer Developmental Therapeutic Program.
The Ovarian Cancer Research Group is Getting a New Space!
Due to the generous donations from donors, the Ovarian Cancer Research Group has been able to expand and recently secured office space on the 5th Floor of the Fitzsimons Building on the Anschutz Medical Campus next to the CU Cancer Center (pictured). This is another step forward in our mission to be at the forefront of ovarian cancer research both locally and nationally.
FAQ*
*Please consult with your gynecologists before altering any clinical care.
Q: Are there screening tests available to diagnose ovarian cancer?
A: We (the ovarian cancer research community) at the University of Colorado have made finding a screening test for ovarian cancer our most immediate priority. Current screening tests result in a high chance of requiring an operation and a low chance of an early ovarian cancer diagnosis.
Q: How can I reduce my risk for ovarian cancer?
A: The most useful way to reduce ovarian cancer risk is to obtain a family history, identify those at genetic risk, test them and their relatives via a blood test to detect that genetic risk, and remove fallopian tubes after childbearing or ovaries and fallopian tubes after menopause.
Q: Should I undergo genetic testing if I have had a relative with ovarian cancer?
A: Yes, you should undergo genetic testing, however the relative with ovarian cancer should also undergo genetic testing. If your relative is tested first, it may be more efficient to have you tested for the same specific genetic change that increases risk.
Ovarian Cancer Think Tank
The University of Colorado Ovarian Cancer Group will be hosting a Think Tank meeting with ten ovarian cancer experts from all over the country to discuss urgent ovarian cancer questions, including early detection, prevention, therapeutics, and immune therapy. Bringing a diverse group of ovarian cancer researchers together provides an opportunity to address critical questions in the field. Each researcher attending the Ovarian Cancer Think Tank has a unique combination of academic training, patient encounters, and personal experiences that informs his or her area of expertise. Stay tuned for the Spring 2023 Newsletter to learn more about the outcome of this important meeting.
Expansion of the Ovarian Cancer Research Team
Drs. Guntupalli, Jansson, and Bitler received a commitment from a new faculty hire that will significantly advance the ovarian cancer research mission. The new faculty member, Dr. Avinash Sahu, was hired from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and will spearhead the effort of using advanced computational analysis to address ovarian cancer questions such as precision medicine and early tumorigenesis.
Through the Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development Program, the division of Gynecologic Oncology hired a physician-scientist, Dr. Niki Marjon. Dr. Marjon completed her Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship at Stanford University and joined the faculty in August. Her research interests include improving the efficacy of immunotherapy in ovarian cancer and developing novel models of ovarian cancer.
Dr. Behbakht hired Cam Nguyen, MPH. Cam is a data scientist and has a Master's in Public Health. She will serve a critical and essential role in analyzing the early detection and symptomatic screening results.
Drs. Brubaker and Bitler hired a PhD research associate, Dr. Ritz Iwanaga, who will aid in improving our understanding on how an epigenetic reader protein, CBX2, contributes to the early stages of ovarian cancer.
Research Funding Updates
Advancing ovarian cancer research is a priority! Since January, the division of Gynecologic Oncology has significantly increased its ovarian cancer research funding. Specifically, the Ovarian Cancer Research Group was awarded an Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance Collaborative Research Award to investigate how tumors are responding to chemotherapy. The award provides support for both translational research and advanced computational analysis to be completed. Dr. Lindsay Brubaker (Assistant Professor) was awarded the highly prestigious Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance Liz Tilberis early career research award to study the interplay between ovarian cancer tumor cells and the immune system. These awards total close to $1.5 million in research funding!
Photo Credit: Jaidev Bapat
Faculty Profile: Christine Walsh, MD, MS
Dr. Christine Walsh joined the gynecology oncology faculty at the University of Colorado in January 2021. She is the inaugural holder of the Don and Arlene Mohler Johnson Family Endowed Chair in Ovarian Cancer. During her time at the University of Colorado, Dr. Walsh has focused on building a new gynecology oncology program in Northern Colorado. She is also the director of the Gynecologic Cancer Genetics Research Program, which is developing a comprehensive database of patients with gynecologic cancer diagnoses in Colorado to optimize screening, prevention, and treatment strategies.
Dr. Walsh grew up in St Louis, Missouri, and she went to college at Stanford University, where she completed her bachelor's degree in biology. During medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, she was inspired to focus her career on gynecology oncology. While doing a rotation in gynecology oncology, she worked with amazing providers and patients that motivated her to pursue training in this field. Dr. Walsh completed a fellowship in gynecology oncology at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as well as a master's degree in clinical research at UCLA. Before moving to Colorado, she was a gynecology oncology faculty member for 15 years at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. Walsh is passionate about being involved in every aspect of her patients' care and bringing gynecological cancer care closer to patients' homes. She feels privileged to be part of a specialty that combines expertise in advanced surgical techniques, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, targeted therapy, molecular biology, genetics, genomics, symptom management, and end-of-life care. She appreciates working with the dedicated team of gynecological oncology providers at the Anschutz Medical Campus who provide far-reaching care to the Denver Metro area and many satellite sites throughout Colorado, Nebraska, and Montana. Dr. Walsh and her husband have three kids (ages 17, 13, and 10) as well as a family dog they rescued from the streets of Los Angeles. Outside of work, Dr. Walsh and her family have been settling into their new home and enjoying the beauty of Colorado.
I am grateful to Dr. Guntupalli for saving my life, and for his medical expertise and passion for women's health. The amazing care I received at CU Anschutz can never be forgotten. Creating the Don and Arlene Mohler Johnson Endowed Chair in Ovarian Cancer, held by Dr. Christine Walsh, provides the opportunity for myself and my family to continue to be involved. Life is more about what you give than what you receive. I have always wished that the example I provided my children and grandchildren would inspire them to follow suit and live charitable and purposeful lives. Arlene Mohler Johnson
