The Gynecologic Oncology Department provides comprehensive diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for gynecologic cancers, including endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, vulvar cancer, and vaginal cancer.
Diagnosis and evaluation are performed by senior specialists using advanced imaging technologies, including ultrasound, CT, MRI, and PET-CT, according to clinical indications.
Treatment is individually tailored and may include open, minimally invasive laparoscopic or robotic surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and supportive care. The multidisciplinary team includes senior surgeons, oncology nurses, pain management specialists, and a social worker, providing continuous care from diagnosis through treatment and follow-up.
Gynecologic Oncology Clinic
The clinic provides comprehensive physical and gynecological evaluation. Diagnostic tests may include:
- Cervical smear
- Biopsies of the endometrium, cervix, or vulva
- Chest X-ray and blood tests
- Ultrasound and abdominal ultrasound
- CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis
- Additional tests when required, including PET-CT, mammography, cystoscopy, and gastrointestinal evaluation
Once the evaluation is complete, a senior physician reviews the findings with the patient and recommends an individualized treatment plan. When malignancy is suspected, surgery may be recommended based on the diagnosis and extent of disease.
Surgery and Hospitalization
The department performs the full range of gynecologic oncology procedures, using minimally invasive laparoscopic, robotic, or open surgical approaches as appropriate.
Common procedures include:
- Hysterectomy and removal of the ovaries for endometrial cancer, with or without pelvic and abdominal lymph node surgery
- Radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer
- Fertility-preserving radical trachelectomy with pelvic lymph node surgery for selected young women with cervical cancer
- Surgery for ovarian tumors and tumor debulking
- Robotic surgery for uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors
- Surgery for vulvar cancer, including sentinel lymph node biopsy
- Preventive removal of the ovaries and/or uterus for women with hereditary cancer syndromes, including BRCA mutations and Lynch syndrome
Before hospitalization, patients undergo a preoperative evaluation. Following surgery, the patient and family receive an update on the surgical findings. The length of hospitalization depends on the procedure and recovery. Upon discharge, patients receive instructions and a follow-up appointment.
Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy
The department works closely with the Oncology Division through a joint consultation clinic for patients requiring chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
Most chemotherapy treatments are provided through the Oncology Day Hospital, allowing patients to return home the same day. Patients requiring combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy receive radiation treatment at the Medical Center’s Radiotherapy Institute, using advanced technologies including linear accelerators and precise CT simulation.
Additional Services
The department provides care and support through:
- The Women’s Health Center – initial evaluation, preoperative consultation, and follow-up
- The Gynecologic Oncology Department – surgery and inpatient care
- The Oncology Day Hospital – chemotherapy and other oncology treatments
- The Radiotherapy Institute – radiation treatment
- A dedicated BRCA and Hereditary Cancer Clinic – monitoring, treatment, and preventive surgery when required
- Consultations for community physicians and other departments within the Medical Center
Research, Education and Fellowship Training
The department is active in clinical and basic research in gynecologic oncology, collaborating with oncology, hematology, pathology, and other medical centers in Israel and internationally. Its physicians also participate in teaching medical and nursing students.
The department offers a 36-month Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program approved by the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO). The program combines one year of research with two years of clinical training and provides advanced experience in the diagnosis, medical management, and surgical treatment of complex gynecologic cancers.
Service facilities and Patient care
Following testing and investigation, the patient meets with a senior staff physician, who reviews diagnostic findings and recommends a treatment plan. When there is concern that the cancer has metastasized, surgery is most likely required. The extent of the surgery depends upon specific medical diagnostic findings. In this case, the patient is referred for pre-surgical testing and consultation, typically conducted by the patient’s health maintenance organization.
A consultation with an anesthesiologist prior to surgery is conducted as necessary in the Medical Center’s Pre-operative Anesthesiology Clinic.
Patients are hospitalized in the Lis Maternity Hospital Women’s Unit. Upon admission, the department creates a medical record, the anesthesiologist examines the patient, and the patient meets with the gynecologist to discuss the surgical plan and answer any questions the patient may have. Patients are instructed to bring all previous test results at the time of admission.
Following surgery, the patient and her family meet with the surgeon to review the surgery results. Hospitalization duration depends upon the type of surgery and the patient recovery plan. During discharge, the patient is scheduled for a follow-up visit and receives instructions on returning to normal activity, continued treatment, and follow-up.
While each patient is unique, the following are the typical surgical plans based upon the woman’s diagnosis:
- Endometrial carcinoma: Hysterectomy (uterus and ovaries) with or without pelvic or abdominal lymph nodes
- Cervical cancer: Radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph nodes—with the option to preserve the uterus for women who still want to have children
- Reproductive organ tumor: Tumor removal and sentinel lymph node biopsy
- Carrier of genetic BRCA syndrome or Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer): Preventive hysterectomy (uterus and/or ovaries)
Expert Gynecological Oncology Unit surgeons perform the full range of surgeries, including:
- Radical hysterectomy: Removal of the whole uterus, ligaments (tissue fibers) that hold it in place in the pelvis, cervix, and top part of the vagina around the cervix
- Oopherectomy: Removal of the ovaries
- Supracervical or subtotal hysterectomy: Removal of only the upper part of the uterus, keeping the cervix in place
- Total hysterectomy: Removes the whole uterus and cervix
For patients requiring chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy along with surgery, the Gynecologic Oncology Unit and General Oncology Department conduct a joint consultation clinic. This highly effective patient-centered approach enables women to receive close management, with targeted attention to her care plan and needs.
Most women undergoing chemotherapy receive chemo between one and four times a week—based on their therapeutic protocol. Occasionally, women have chemotherapy several days in a row, in which case, they are hospitalized during those days to help promote optimal care.
Patients undergoing both radiotherapy and chemotherapy receive chemo in the state-of-the-art Gynecologic Oncology Day Hospital and radiotherapy in the Radiotherapy Institute. In the Radiotherapy Institute, patient treatment modalities feature advanced technologies on the cutting edge of medicine, such as sophisticated linear accelerators and highly accurate CT simulators.
The Gynecologic Oncology Unit consults to community physicians from all health maintenance organizations: gynecologists, family physicians, etc., to support patients who may have cancer of the reproductive system.
The unit also consults regarding patients in other Medical Center departments, providing insights for women with a family history of hereditary cancer, patients who have tested positive as hereditary carriers, and cases with a suspicion of cancer.
The Cervical Pathology Clinic offers diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up services for women’s cervical health. At the clinic, patients are assessed to identify infectious cervical diseases as well as pre-cancerous and cancerous conditions using the latest in modern technologies.
Diagnostic tests such as PAP smears, colposcopies, hysteroscopies, and other examinations are performed. Treatment modalities include laser, electric energy, and surgical procedures on the cervix. The clinic offers a specific HPV test for appropriate cases, to identify cervical infection with the human papilloma virus, which is known to be associated with cervical disease
Associated medical units
The clinic focuses on the early detection and prevention of cervical disease. Diagnostic services include: Colposcopy is recommended for women with abnormal Pap smear results or symptoms that may indicate cervical abnormalities. Treatment The clinic provides treatment for precancerous cervical changes using advanced equipment, including colposcopy, electrocautery, and laser treatment. Most procedures are performed under local anesthesia, while general anesthesia is available when required. The clinic also provides laser treatment for condylomas (genital warts) in both women and men.Cervical Disease Early Detection and Prevention Clinic