You may call the offices at any time you have questions regarding your condition, treatment, and medication. If your question is urgent, either your physician or another staff member will return your call promptly. If your problem is not urgent, your call will usually be returned within 24 to 48 hours.

Do NOT use this site to contact your physician if you are having a medical emergency.

Your medical record is strictly private. We do not provide information regarding your condition to your family, doctor, or insurance company without your knowledge and consent.

To learn more about our research department, or if you have any questions, please contact our Research Staff:

• Stacey Rhynard – Clinical Research Coordinator, DM1
• Karen McWhirter – Clinical Research Coordinator
• Jackelyne Amador – Clinical Research Coordinator
• Thania Escamilla – Clinical Research Coordinator

Phone: 702.851.4672
Fax: 702.851.4670

The Women’s Cancer Center of Nevada Foundation for Research is a member of the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), a non-profit organization with the purpose of promoting excellence in the quality and integrity of clinical and basic scientific research in the field of Gynecologic malignancies. The Group is committed to maintaining the highest standards in clinical trials development, execution, analysis and distribution of results. Continuous evaluation of their processes is utilized in order to constantly improve the quality of patient care.

Below is a partial list of current clinical trials with which the Women’s Cancer Center is involved. To learn more, or to find other related studies, please visit the NIH Clinical Trials website which features a searchable database.

Professionally, our doctors have authored over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and in 2011 Dr Spirtos became the first American editor of Bonney’s textbook of Gynecological Surgery, which has been in publication for over 100 years.

Below is a selection of their most recent works.

Bonney’s Gynaecological Surgery, 11th Edition

• Lopes T, Spirtos NM, Naik R, Monaghan JM.

Published February 2011, Wiley-Blackwell

Phase III randomized trial of weekly cisplatin and irradiation versus cisplatin and tirapazamine and irradiation in stages IB2, IIA, IIB, IIIB, and IVA cervical carcinoma limited to the pelvis: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

• DiSilvestro PA, Ali S, Craighead PS, Lucci JA, Lee YC, Cohn DE,

Spirtos NM

• , Tewari KS, Muller C, Gajewski WH, Steinhoff MM, Monk BJ.

J Clin Oncol. 2014 Feb 10;32(5):458-64.

Virtual reality robotic surgical simulation: an analysis of gynecology trainees.

• Sheth SS, Fader AN, Tergas AI,

Kushnir CL

• , Green IC.

J Surg Educ. 2014 Jan-Feb;71(1):125-32.

The use of argon beam coagulation in treating vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia III: a retrospective review.
Kushnir CL

• ,

Fleury AC

• , Hill MC, Silver DF,

Spirtos NM

• .

Gynecol Oncol. 2013 Nov;131(2):386-8.

Evaluation of exposures to healthcare personnel from cisplatin during a mock demonstration of intra-operative intraperitoneal chemotherapy administration.
Kushnir CL

• ,

Fleury AC

• , Couch J, Hill MC,

Spirtos NM

• .

Gynecol Oncol. 2013 Aug;130(2):350-3.

Post fellowship training in “new-to-them” surgical techniques: assessment of learning curve characteristics.

• Miao J,

Fleury AC

• ,

Kushnir CL

• , Silver DF, Naik R,

Spirtos NM

• .

Gynecol Oncol. 2011 Jun 1;121(3):620-4.

Upper abdominal cytoreduction and thoracoscopy for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: unanswered questions and the impact on treatment.
Fleury AC

• ,

Kushnir CL

• , Giuntoli RL 2nd,

Spirtos NM

• .

BJOG. 2012 Jan;119(2):202-6.

Comparison of current staging systems and a novel staging system for uterine leiomyosarcoma.

• Giuntoli RL 2nd, Lessard-Anderson CR, Gerardi MA,

Kushnir CL

• , Cliby WA, Metzinger DS, Gostout BS.

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2013 Jun;23(5):869-76.

Defining the role of lymphadenectomy in gynaecological oncology.
Spirtos NM

• .

BJOG. 2013 Mar;120(4):381-3.

Is bilateral lymphadenectomy for midline squamous carcinoma of the vulva always necessary? An analysis from Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) 173.

• Coleman RL, Ali S, Levenback CF, Gold MA, Fowler JM, Judson PL, Bell MC, De Geest K,

Spirtos NM

• , Potkul RK, Leitao MM Jr, Bakkum-Gamez JN, Rossi EC, Lentz SS, Burke JJ 2nd, Van Le L, Trimble CL.

Gynecol Oncol. 2013 Feb;128(2):155-9.

Laparoendoscopic single-site radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy: initial multi-institutional experience for treatment of invasive cervical cancer.

• Boruta DM, Fagotti A, Bradford LS, Escobar PF, Scambia G,

Kushnir CL

• , Michener CM, Fader AN.

J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2014 May-Jun;21(3):394-8.

Perioperative care in gynecologic oncology.
Kushnir CL

• , Díaz-Montes TP.

Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Feb;25(1):23-8.

Extrauterine inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: A case report.
Kushnir CL

• , Gerardi M, Banet N, Shih IeM, Diaz-Montes T.

Gynecol Oncol Case Rep. 2013 Jul 30;6:39-41

Stage I noninvasive and minimally invasive uterine serous carcinoma: comprehensive staging associated with improved survival.

• Giuntoli RL 2nd, Gerardi MA, Yemelyanova AV, Ueda SM,

Fleury AC

• , Diaz-Montes TP, Bristow RE.

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2012 Feb;22(2):273-9.

Vulvar basal cell carcinoma in a 20-year-old: Case report and review of the literature.
Fleury AC

• , Junkins-Hopkins JM, Diaz-Montes T.

Gynecol Oncol Case Rep. 2011 Dec 2;2(1):26-7.

Association of number of positive nodes and cervical stroma invasion with outcome of advanced endometrial cancer treated with chemotherapy or whole abdominal irradiation: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

• Tewari KS, Filiaci VL,

Spirtos NM

• , Mannel RS, Thigpen JT, Cibull ML, Monk BJ, Randall ME.

Gynecol Oncol. 2012 Apr;125(1):87-93.

Primary uterine cancer in Maryland: impact of distance on access to surgical care at high-volume hospitals.

• Gunderson CC, Tergas AI,

Fleury AC

• , Diaz-Montes TP, Giuntoli RL 2nd.

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2013 Sep;23(7):1244-51.

Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in women with squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: a gynecologic oncology group study.

• Levenback CF, Ali S, Coleman RL, Gold MA, Fowler JM, Judson PL, Bell MC, De Geest K,

Spirtos NM

• , Potkul RK, Leitao MM Jr, Bakkum-Gamez JN, Rossi EC, Lentz SS, Burke JJ 2nd, Van Le L, Trimble CL.

J Clin Oncol. 2012 Nov 1;30(31):3786-91.

Recurrence and survival after random assignment to laparoscopy versus laparotomy for comprehensive surgical staging of uterine cancer: Gynecologic Oncology Group LAP2 Study.

• Walker JL, Piedmonte MR,

Spirtos NM

• , Eisenkop SM, Schlaerth JB, Mannel RS, Barakat R, Pearl ML, Sharma SK.

J Clin Oncol. 2012 Mar 1;30(7):695-700.

A phase II evaluation of lapatinib in the treatment of persistent or recurrent epithelial ovarian or primary peritoneal carcinoma: a gynecologic oncology group study.

• Garcia AA, Sill MW, Lankes HA, Godwin AK, Mannel RS, Armstrong DK, Carolla RL, Liepman MK,

Spirtos NM

• , Fischer EG, Leslie KK.

Gynecol Oncol. 2012 Mar;124(3):569-74.

Finding Information Online
The Women’s Cancer Center of Nevada believes that the more informed you are, the more comfortable you will be making the decisions that best meet your health and lifestyle needs. The library contains published research and articles by our own physicians, while other sections of this website contain detailed information about our areas of specialty: laparoscopic cancer surgery, cytroreductive surgery and pelvic reconstruction and urogynecology.

Caveats

• Searching the Internet for the information about cancer can lead to competent, well researched data that is helpful and enlightening. Unfortunately, you may also find advice that is questionable, hard to interpret, out of date-or even dangerous. The good news is that there are steps you can take to ensure that the information you gather will be reliable. We strongly recommend you read the “Getting Started” guide in our articles section.
• Under the best of circumstances, it’s easy to get information overload in the digital age! After a recent diagnosis, or while you are undergoing treatment, you may feel particularly overwhelmed. Take things slowly, and consider letting someone else help you research. Also, be sure to discuss any questions or concerns you have with your physician.
• The Internet is a dynamic entity, it changes all the time. We cannot guarantee that the excellent link we looked at yesterday will still be there in the morning. Your help in keeping our links “fresh” would be gratefully accepted. Just use the Contact Us page and let us know.

Association for Cancer Online Resources

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition

Nevada Care Connection

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

Owareness