The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center: Expert Teams Saving Lives

More than 440,000 women are diagnosed with women’s cancers annually. Approximately 110,000 are diagnosed with gynecologic cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. When women in the KC metro have that conversation with their doctor, they can turn to The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Here, specialists from one of the country’s National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers offer world-class cancer care, including more options and expertise to treat women’s cancers.

The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center focuses exclusively on breast and gynecologic cancers, providing the gold standard of cancer care to women. The Women’s Cancer Center, which recently opened a new location on the Indian Creek campus, is integrated throughout the cancer center’s 13 locations. It provides a collaborative and cohesive approach to specialized care for women at high risk for cancer, newly diagnosed with cancer and surviving cancer.

Multidisciplinary
“We have dedicated, highly specialized experts from multiple disciplines and areas of medicine who focus on women’s cancers specifically,” shared Dineo Khabele, MD, FACOG, FACS, director, gynecologic oncology, The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. “We’re dedicated to that cause, and we want women to be partners with us in their experience. We offer a very individualized approach that’s truly focused on the patient.”

“We have the experts to personalize your care. Our team of breast specialists develops a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan that allow us to offer the highest level of care available anywhere,” noted Jamie Wagner, DO, FACOS, breast surgical oncologist and division chief of breast surgery. “The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center is also dedicated to scientific research and clinical care. We’re pushing the envelope so patients receive state-of-the-art treatment care plans.”

Recognized as some of the best in their field on a national and international basis, teams of health care providers assess patients on the same day and join forces to develop a comprehensive and individualized treatment plan for each patient based on their needs. Essential imaging and biopsies can be completed during this visit.

Gynecologic oncologists at The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center provide the highest standard of comprehensive care. A multidisciplinary team tailors a treatment plan based on individual needs and the genetic structure of a patient’s specific type of cancer.

Individualized
“Gynecologic cancer focuses on female reproductive organs, including the cervix, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina and vulva, and our team of experts addresses these issues,” commented Dr. Khabele. “But we also care for women with pre-cancerous conditions and have surgeons who work with women dealing with multiple, previous surgeries or complications. We have the most expertise with gynecologic cancers and dealing with women who have pelvic issues, especially when there’s a suspicion of cancer.”

“It takes a village to treat breast cancer, and we’re fortunate we have subspecialists in every single area at The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center,” said Dr. Wagner. “We employ every aspect to treat breast cancer. In addition, we offer genetic testing and counseling, which can open another cascade of other family members needing to be approached. When we do identify those patients who may be at high risk, we have programs available to monitor, screen and deliver prevention plans. But most importantly, we can walk a patient through her treatment course and into survivorship. We have more survivors of breast cancer than ever in history, but there are side effects of those treatments. Now, we’re going after those side effects to minimize or eliminate them.”

Dedicated
“What’s so exciting about practicing medicine these days is people are motivated to learn about their health. As doctors, we’ve been trained to understand and interpret the literature and the data on how to treat people, and we can walk people through the information,” remarked Dr. Khabele. “But we also understand women are educated and know their bodies and want their doctors to listen to them. Women need to have up-to-date information and direct access to the gold standard of care we offer at The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center.”

“The importance of a subspecialty team to treat breast cancer is critical,” said Dr. Wagner. “We are there for the patients because this isn’t about us but them. The Women’s Cancer Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center exists to elevate access and the level of treatment to women. We want to create an environment in which women are comfortable and feel at home. It allows the providers to take on the burden of delivering the very best care, and the patients to take care of themselves. I’m so blessed to work with this team because we’re so passionate about working for the patient. I appreciate the hard work and efforts of everyone here in delivering the best care possible.” ■

Visit the website at kucancercenter.org/womenscancer.