Dr. Rose's Research

Research Focus: Quality of life issues for gynecologic cancer patients, gynecologic cancer survivorship, and basic and translational science research of gynecologic cancers.

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Rose invited to join editorial board of Gynecologic Oncology

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Rhoades, Rose, Iruretagoyena serve as ABOG examiners

In early November, three Department of Ob-Gyn faculty served as American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology board examiners in Texas! 

Janine Rhoades, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine; Steve Rose, MD,  professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology; and Igor Iruretagoyena, MD, MS, professor and director of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, all served as specialty oral examiners.  

It's an exciting department accomplishment to have three faculty serve as specialty board examiners. Thank you all for your work supporting the next generation of ob-gyn physicians!   

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Rose publishes invited review in Green Journal

Stephen Rose, MD, professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, authored a new invited review published in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

In “When Less is More”, Rose discusses advancements in screening and ultrasounds that can reduce the need for unnecessary follow-up appointments for ovarian cysts. Rose admits diagnosing ovarian cancer is difficult, but is optimistic that research conducted by the University of Kentucky Ovarian Cancer Screening Trials can limit the amount of unnecessary appointments for cysts up to a certain size, and create more appointments for patients that actually need extra visits.

“It is also important to note that not all adnexal cysts occur in a vacuum. Although ultrasound characteristics are an important piece of the diagnostic puzzle, patient history and symptoms are vitally important to understand when tumor markers may be necessary or when referral to a gynecologic oncologist may be reasonable.”

Read the whole article here.

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Paige Stevenson

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Rose, Mojdehbakhsh co-author study in Gynecologic Oncology

UW Department of Ob-Gyn Gynecologic Oncology Fellow Rachel Mojdehbakhsh, MD, and Stephen Rose, MD, professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, co-authored a multi-site study recently published in Gynecologic Oncology. 

In “Radical hysterectomy case volume and cervical cancer treatment in the era of COVID-19: A multi-site analysis of National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers” Mojdehbakhsh, Rose, and co-authors evaluated the number of radical hysterectomy cases, cancer stages, and biopsy-to-treatment time for cervical cancer after the pandemic, as opposed to pre-pandemic levels. 

“Our study identified major shifts in the diagnosis and management of cervical cancer after the pandemic's onset, including a decline in radical hysterectomy case volume, a shift to later stage at diagnosis, and delays in surgical and radiation-based therapy. Lower overall surgical volume may be the result of a decline in the detection of early-stage disease.”

Read the whole article here.

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Paige Stevenson

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Leadership transition in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology

Later this fall, the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology will undergo a leadership transition: Stephen Rose, MD, who has served as Division Director of Gynecologic Oncology since 2017, will step down from that role. Dr. Lisa Barroilhet, MD, MS will become the new Division Director on November 13, 2023. Please help us thank Dr. Rose for his steadfast, supportive, and innovative leadership over the last seven years and welcome Dr. Barroilhet to this new position!

Dr. Rose has been an incredible steward of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology during his time in this role. Under his leadership, the division added four faculty and two advanced practice providers and recruited exceptional candidates to the gynecologic oncology fellowship. Dr. Rose cultivated an environment that supported each member of the division in their career goals and aspirations. Faculty in the division have, with Dr. Rose’s support, received R01 grants, taken on prominent leadership roles in our department, institution, and national organizations, and published practice-changing research. His influence is not limited to our department, either – he founded the Heartland Association of Gynecologic Oncology in 2019 to create a space for gynecologic oncology professionals across our region to share research and build connections.

Dr. Rose has long been a sought-after physician and surgeon to patients in our area. He is favored by his patients and referring physicians alike. During his tenure as division director, he implemented clinical changes that better supported patients as well as providers in the department, including enacting sentinel lymph node protocols to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment, and rolling out a new system of call for faculty to improve the division’s efficiency and access. 

In 2022, Dr. Rose became the Medical Director for Regional Oncology Services at UW Health. His responsibilities in that role include providing clinical and professional direction for the program; building relationships with regional leadership teams and referring providers; extending research opportunities to regional partners; and more. In 2023, he won the UW Health Regional Services Physician Excellence Award for this important work. I am so pleased that Dr. Rose will remain in our department while he focuses more of his efforts and expands his responsibilities in a larger regional role for UW Health. 

Dr. Lisa Barroilhet is more than prepared for the challenge of becoming Division Director. She is a beloved clinician, award-winning researcher, highly regarded educator, and relentless advocate for reproductive health. Dr. Barroilhet demonstrated her leadership competence as Interim Chair of the Department of Ob-Gyn in 2022 – her tireless focus and foresight helped us navigate significant changes in the department following the Dobbs decision as smoothly as possible. 

Nationally, Dr. Barroilhet serves in numerous leadership roles, including as Vice Chair and Course Director for Patient Education for the Foundation for Women’s Cancer, as NRG Institutional PI and member of the NRG Development Therapeutics Committee and site PI for several national clinical trials, and as Co-Director for the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists Emerging Clinical Trialists Course. 

In addition to her leadership skills, Dr. Barroilhet is a committed researcher with a deep understanding of our institutional and national research platforms. She led the Carbone Cancer Center’s gynecologic oncology disease-oriented team (DOT) for several years, became the Division of Gynecologic Oncology’s director of translational research in 2021, and is principal investigator on several active studies right now. 

Dr. Barroilhet has established a reputation in our institution for her remarkable vision, and her ability to smoothly lead successful transformations improving our healthcare programs and patient care. She will be an exceptional Division Director. 

Please help us thank Dr. Rose for his many years of outstanding service as Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology and congratulate Dr. Barroilhet on this exciting opportunity!

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Rose helps host Ukrainian surgeon at UW

In the spring of 2023, the UW Carbone Cancer Center and UW Department of Surgery hosted a Ukrainian surgeon for trauma care training. Dr. Olena Renkas, a surgical oncologist from Kyiv, Ukraine, spent four weeks of training in American trauma care standards. Stephen Rose, MD, director of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology, was instrumental in supporting Dr. Renkas’s visit.

Read more about Dr. Renkas’s visit and plans for future training opportunities in this newsletter from the UW Carbone Cancer Center! Thank you, Dr. Rose, for supporting this important experience.

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Rose delivers Katz Memorial Lecture to University of Pittsburgh Department of Ob-Gyn

On May 9, 2023, UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology Director Stephen Rose, MD, gave the David and Lenore Brundige Katz Memorial Lecture to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's Department of Ob-Gyn. Rose gave the presentation “Laughing in the face of Cancer: How humor may benefit patients.”

The Katz Memorial Lecture is an annual event hosted for the UPMC Department of Ob-Gyn, supported by the family of a retired gynecologic oncologist who spent much of his career at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.

Rose was invited by UW alumni, including recent gynecologic oncology fellowship graduate Shannon Rush, MD. Incredible work, Dr. Rose!  

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Rose receives UW Health Physician Excellence Award

Stephen Rose, MD, professor and director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, received the 2023 UW Health Regional Services Physician Excellence Award at a ceremony on May 3! The award recognizes physicians who exemplify UW Health’s strategic priority in providing extraordinary regional services care for patients at neighboring health care facilities in Wisconsin and beyond.

Rose was nominated by colleagues for the award, who describe him as friendly and insightful in his role as medical director of regional oncology services:

“Natalie Wilson, director of Northern Illinois oncology services, describes Dr. Rose as “an essential partner in fostering growth and executing strategy of the NIL oncology program.” She credits Dr. Rose for helping recruit a gynecologic oncologist to Rockford, connecting the Northern Illinois medical oncologists with the appropriate Madison-based tumor boards, and overall strong support and insightful collaboration.”

Read more about the UW Health Physician Excellence Awards and Rose’s amazing work. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Dr. Rose!

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UW Ob-Gyn research and presentations at 2022 ACOG Annual Meeting

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists held the Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting in San Diego May 6-8, 2022. Faculty, fellows and residents in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn brought many exciting presentations and projects to the conference. Read more about some of their awesome accomplishments:

Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD gave the Morton and Diane Stenchever Lecture “The Women’s Health Initiative: Controversy, Confusion, Consensus” at the opening of the day on May 8: 

“In 2022, is hormone therapy safe? Have we reached a point of consensus? The Women’s Health Initiative hormone therapy trial preliminary results were released summer 2002, completely altering the practice of prescribing hormone therapy to midlife and menopausal women. Controversy and confusion immediately ensued. Attend this thought-provoking session to better understand current recommendations, management strategies and treatment options for menopausal patients.”

Division of Gynecologic Oncology Director Stephen Rose, MD, presented “A Revised Markov Model Evaluating Oophorectomy at the Time of Hysterectomy for Benign Indication”, co-authored by Gynecologic Oncology Fellow Shannon Rush, MD, during a late-breaking abstracts session on May 8.

More posters and presentations:

Black Women With Low Numeracy Fare Worse in Diabetic Pregnancies - Jennifer Jacobson, MD; Amy Godecker, PhD; Jennifer Janik, MD; April Eddy, MS; Jacquelyn Adams, MD

Assessment of In-Hospital Pain Control After Childbirth and Its Correlation With Anxiety in the Postpartum Period – Clara Olson, BS; John Poehlmann, MD; Zachary Stowe, MD; Kathleen Antony, MD

Clinical Application of a Previously Validated Pregnancy-Specific Screening Tool for Sleep Apnea – Kathleen Antony, MD

Operationalizing Aspirin to Reduce Preeclampsia Risk and Related Morbidity and Mortality – Maya Gross, MD; Katherine Sampene, MD

Leveraging Quality Improvement to Promote Health Equity: Prenatal Aspirin Recommendations by Race - Maya Gross, MD; Katherine Sampene, MD

In the Eye of the Beholder: Perspectives of Fellowship Applicants on Virtual Interviews - Christine Heisler, MD

Cost-Effectiveness of Opportunistic Salpingectomy Following Vaginal Delivery for Ovarian Cancer Prevention – Matthew Wagar, MD; Makeba Williams, MD

Incredible work, all!

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UW Ob-Gyn presentations at 2023 Society of Gynecologic Oncology conference

UW Ob-Gyn faculty, advanced practice providers, fellows, and residents prepared an impressive slate of presentations and posters, and served in key leadership roles, for the 2023 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer! Here are just some of their exciting contributions to the conference, which took place March 25-28, 2023 in Tampa, FL:

Associate Proefssor Lisa Barroilhet, MD, MS:

Vice Chair of the Patient Education Committee

Professor Ellen Hartenbach, MD:

Poster: “The genomic profile of high-grade serous ovarian cancer and the association with platinum-resistance”

Poster: “Thromboembolic Events in Gynecologic Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy”

Ob-Gyn Resident Rachel Mojdehbakhsh, MD:

Poster: “Radical hysterectomy case volume and cervical cancer treatment in the era of COVID-19: A multi-institutional analysis” 

Gynecologic Oncology Fellow Lauren Montemorano, MD:

Poster: “Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Recruitment in the Virtual Era: An Evaluation of Program Websites and Survey of Applicant Preferences” (Lauren Montemorano MD, Connor C Wang MD, Ankitha Madde MD, J Stuart Ferriss MD, Bunja J Rungruang MD, Ryan Spencer MD, MS)

Poster: “The genomic profile of high-grade serous ovarian cancer and the association with platinum-resistance” (Lauren Montemorano MD, Jessica D Lang PhD, Zoey Shultz BA, Alma Farooque BA, Meredith Hyun MS, Richard Chappell PhD, Ellen Hartenbach MD)

Poster: “A comparison of early-occurring and late-occurring incisional hernias after trans-umbilical versus circumbilical midline laparotomy in gynecologic oncology patients” (Connor C Wang, Alexandra Andes, Aaditi Naik, Lauren Montemorano, Ahmed Al-Niaimi)

Joanne Rash, PA:

Special Interest Session for Allied Health Professionals: Provider Wellbeing: Hope to be Found

Rash finished her board terms as the first elected APP representative on the SGO board!

Professor Stephen Rose, MD:

Poster: “Radical hysterectomy case volume and cervical cancer treatment in the era of COVID-19: A multi-institutional analysis”

Associate Professor Ryan Spencer, MD, MS:

Spencer was selected to serve as the SGO representative on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ political action committee (Ob-GynPAC).

Spencer received the Congressional Ambassador Award, given annually to SGO members who have worked hard to educate our elected and appointed officials in Washington, DC, to promote health care policy changes and annual federal funding increases to positively impact the field of gynecologic oncology and the women who are impacted with gynecologic cancer malignancies.

Chair, SGO Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee

Co-Lead, Gynecologic Oncology Standardized Letter of Evaluation (SLOE) Task Force

Poster: “Gynecologic oncology fellowship recruitment in the virtual era: an evaluation of program websites and survey of applicant preferences.” (Senior author on this multi-institutional project with Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Medical College of Georgia.)

Presentations during SGO Program Directors Network meeting:

Gynecologic Oncology SLOEs

Updates from the ABOG Reproductive Health Summit

Associate Professor Sumer Wallace, MD, MS:

Serves on Policy, Quality, & Outcomes task force for the Health Policy and Socioeconomic committee

Ob-Gyn Resident Connor Wang, MD:

Poster: “A Comparison of Early-Occuring and Late-Occuring Incisional Hernias After Trans-Umbilical Versus Circumbilical Midline Laparotomy in Gynecologic Oncology Patients”

Gynecologic Oncology Fellow Catherine Zhang, MD, MPH:

Featured Oral Poster Session: “A Quality Improvement Project to Implement Oral Anticoagulant Thromboprophylaxis in Ambulatory Gynecologic Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy”

Congratulations to all on this incredible showing!

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Rose to receive UW Health Regional Services Physician Excellence Award

Our sincere congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology Director Stephen Rose, MD, who will receive the 2023 UW Health Regional Services Physician Excellence Award at a ceremony on May 3, 2023!

Rose was nominated by colleagues to receive the Regional Services Physician Excellence award, which recognizes physicians who exemplify UW Health’s strategic priority in providing extraordinary regional services care for patients at neighboring health care facilities in Wisconsin and beyond.

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Dr. Rose!

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Rose invited to present Grand Rounds to Weill Cornell Department of Ob-Gyn

Steve Rose, MD, professor and Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, presented Grand Rounds to the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology on Monday, January 30! The Weill Cornell Ob-Gyn residents were allowed to select a Grand Rounds speaker for the first time, and Rose was their first choice! 

Rose presented the lecture “A Revised Markov Model Evaluating Oophorectomy at the Time of Hysterectomy for Benign Indication: Age 65 Years Revisited.” Rose co-authored a study of the same title that was featured on the May 2022 cover of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and presented the findings from the study at the 2022 ACOG Annual Meeting.

Incredible work, Dr. Rose!

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Rose and patient featured in 2022 Sparkle of Hope grateful patient story

Ten years ago, avid Wisconsin Badgers football fan Shirley Pokorski received a gynecologic cancer diagnosis that put her tailgating traditions in peril. After working with UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology Director Steve Rose, MD, and an incredible care team at the UW Carbone Cancer Center, Shirley has been cancer-free and back at the field for years.

On WISC-TV News, Rose discussed Shirley’s treatment journey, and Shirley shared gratitude for her support system, including Rose and the Carbone team. Watch Shirley’s whole story here, and join us at Sparkle of Hope on September 16, 2022 to celebrate survivors like Shirley and the whole gynecologic cancer community! Learn more about how to join us at sparkleofhope.org.

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Rose’s patient profiled by UW Carbone Cancer Center

In a new profile published by UW Health and the UW Carbone Cancer Center, a grateful patient who worked with Professor Stephen Rose, MD, director of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology, shared her cervical cancer treatment story.

In “A Remarkable Outcome”, Rose and patient Phyllis Stokes share her clinical experiences with cervical cancer and multiple treatment modalities. After less-than-ideal results with chemotherapy, Rose recommended Phyllis start immunotherapy treatment. What happened next was remarkable:

“Rose said her response was even better than he expected. Prior to the advent of immunotherapy, the average lifespan of someone diagnosed with stage IV cervical cancer was about a year. And even though immunotherapy has been a significant advancement in treatment, it’s still not a guarantee.

“Even being PD-L1 positive, many patients still don’t have a response to pembrolizumab,” he said. “For her to have those treatments for two years and then have no evidence of cancer anywhere is just remarkable.””

You can read the whole story here. Join the Department of Ob-Gyn and Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the 2022 Sparkle of Hope Gala on September 16 to celebrate the entire gynecologic cancer community, including remarkable patients like Phyllis!

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Wang published in Gynecologic Oncology Reports

UW Ob-Gyn resident Connor Wang, MD is lead author on a new article published in Gynecologic Oncology Reports! Wang’s mentor on this project (and senior author on the publication) is UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gyencologic Oncology Director Steve Rose, MD.

“Adaptive and maladaptive humor styles are closely associated with burnout and professional fulfillment in members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology” used a survey of members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology to assess individual humor styles and their connection to burnout. Humor styles (including adaptive styles and maladaptive styles) were assessed using the validated Humor Styles Questionnaire, and professional fulfillment (PF) and burnout (BO) were assessed using the Professional Fulfillment Index. The study examined responses from faculty, advanced practice providers, fellows, and residents:

“Clinically, our findings suggest the possibility of humor-based interventions to address BO and improve PF in SGO members. Humor-based interventions could be humor-based positive psychology interventions (PPIs) or workshops. Humor-based PPIs can enhance psychological and emotional wellbeing, life satisfaction, mood, and lower depressive feelings. (Wellenzohn et al., 2018) They can also increase participants’ sense of humor. (Wellenzohn et al., 2018)…Our results further indicated that trainees were more likely than faculty and APP to employ aggressive and self-defeating humors, and trainees experienced significantly lower PF than did faculty. Therefore, trainees may benefit most from humor-based interventions.”

Read the whole study here.

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UW Ob-Gyn presentations at 2022 Society of Gynecologic Oncology conference

Members of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology, fellows and residents prepared an impressive slate of posters and presentations for the 2022 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer! Take a look at just some of the research brought to the hybrid conference, as well as the variety of service and leadership roles held by members of our department:

Ahmed Al-Niaimi, MD:

Master Class: Optimize and Operate: Enhancing Perioperative Quality, Safety, Experience, and Outcomes

Master Class: Debulk and Deliver: A Virtual Live-Streamed Master Class with Optional Hands-On Cytoreductive Surgery Lab 

Oral Plenary Presentation: Mechanical bowel preparation and post-operative renal dysfunction in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer

Lisa Barroilhet, MD, MS:

Distillation: On-Demand Oral Featured Posters: Novel Therapies, PROs, and Disparities in Care

Special Interest Session: Curriculum for Emerging Clinical Trialists (Dr. Barroilhet is course director for this session)

Vice-Chair of the Patient Education Committee

Katherine Dryer, MD:

Poster: Outpatient palliative care utilization and aggressiveness of end-of-life care in women with gynecologic cancers (authors Kathryn Dryer MD, Janelle Sobecki MD, Michael Lasarev MS, Lena Law BA, Anna Stecher MD, Ellen Hartenbach MD)

Maya Gross, MD, MPH:

Poster: Risk factors associated with distress among postoperative patients in an academic gynecologic oncology practice

Ellen Hartenbach, MD:

Symposium: Wake to Wellness: Beating Burnout Through Better Patient Communication (Hartenbach presented “Mitigating Burnout Through Effective Communication Techniques”)

Palliative Medicine Committee 

Clinical Practice Committee

David Kushner, MD:

Finance Committee

Wellness Committee (Chair)

Developed two “Wake to Wellness” Sessions based on SGO Wellness Curriculum that was just published:

Managing Priorities 

Moving from Surviving to Thriving (Kushner will present as part of this session)

Senior author on Surgical Innovation presentation “Beneath the Surface: Fluorescein mapping in vulvar Paget’s Disease” given by Gyn Onc fellow Catherine Zhang, MD

Joanne Rash, PA:

Attending the SGO Board meeting (virtually), and will start her board term as the first-ever APP representative on the SGO board

Stephen Rose, MD:

Co-Chair of the Fellowship Program Directors Network and will be leading the annual meeting Thursday night. 

Hosting the UW Fellow Alumni Reception Sunday night

Senior author on Connor Wang’s study: Adaptive and maladaptive humor styles are closely associated with burnout and professional fulfillment in members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology

Shannon Rush, MD:

Poster: Hormone replacement therapy counseling at prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in high risk patients

Janelle Sobecki, MD:

Poster: Risk factors associated with distress among postoperative patients in an academic gynecologic oncology practice (Maya Gross, Sumer Wallace - Senior)

Poster: Outpatient Palliative Care Utilization and Aggressiveness of End-of-Life Care in Women with Gynecologic Cancers (Kathryn Dryer, Ellen Hartenbach – Senior)

Sumer Wallace, MD:

Serves on Policy, Quality, & Outcomes task force for the Health Policy and Socioeconomic committee

Connor Wang, MD:

Poster: Adaptive and maladaptive humor styles are closely associated with burnout and professional fulfillment in members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology

Catherine Zhang, MD:

Poster: Thromboembolic events in gynecologic cancer patients treated with chemotherapy (authors R. Zhang, MD; T. Stewart, BS; K. Tetreault, MS; R. Alexandridis, PhD; J. Bergsbaken, PharmD;  S. Wallace, MD; D. Kushner, MD;E. Hartenbach, MD)

Farr Nezhat Session Surgical Innovation Session: How Surgical Futurists are Revolutionizing Cancer Care (Zhang presented “Beneath the Surface: Fluorescein mapping in vulvar Paget’s Disease”)

Congratulations to all for these incredible achievements!

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Rush and Rose selected for late-breaking presentation at ACOG conference

Exciting news for UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology Director Stephen Rose, MD and gynecologic oncology fellow Shannon Rush, MD! Rose and Rush’s article “A Revised Markov Model Evaluating Oophorectomy at the Time of Benign Hysterectomy: Age 65 Years Revisited” was selected for the Obstetrics and Gynecology late-breaking research session at ACOG’s 2022 Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA this May!

The editors of the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology selected four upcoming articles for presentation during this session based on their importance, innovation, and newsworthiness. Congratulations on this incredible honor!

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Rose talks about gynecologic oncology as a practice on Specialty Stories podcast

On a recent episode of Specialty Stories, a podcast aimed at helping premed and medical students choose a future career, UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology Director Steve Rose, MD discussed what brought him to gynecologic oncology and what the subspecialty is like today.

During the conversation, Rose talked about key interests and traits that can lead to success in gynecologic oncology, the types of patients who work with gyn onc teams, what clinical and surgical schedules can look like, and other important information for medical students and ob-gyn residents considering a future career in gynecologic oncology.

Listen to the whole episode here! 

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Rose discusses genetic testing for cancer with OncLive

In a recent installment of OncLiveTV, UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology Director Steve Rose, MD discussed the importance of genetic testing in ovarian cancer. 

In the video, Rose mentioned the importance of genetic testing in setting a treatment path for some ovarian cancers:

“The importance of the testing, for sure, has to do with the use of PARP inhibitors, specifically now that PARP inhibitors up front have been shown to be helpful in certain patients. And so making sure that you can get that ball rolling quickly and start talking to patients about whether or not they’re going to be eligible, dependent upon their BRCA either somatic or genetic status, and homologous recombination proficient or deficient status as well,” Rose says.

Rose also discusses current barriers to genetic testing in ovarian cancer patients. Watch the whole video here!

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Rose selected as medical director for UW Health Regional Oncology Services

Congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn Gynecologic Oncology Division Director Steve Rose, MD! Rose was recently appointed to the role of Medical Director for Regional Oncology Services at UW Health.

In that role, Rose will be the physician leader for UW Health’s regional cancer program. Responsibilities include providing clinical and professional direction for the program; building relationships with regional leadership teams and referring providers; extending research opportunities to regional partners; and more. This role will also partner with the Regional Relations Medical Director for UW Health to ensure alignment across oncology specialties.   

Rose will work closely with all of UW Health’s cancer care regional affiliates to ensure that patients at these sites receive high-quality, cost-effective, remarkable care. This job is not specific to gynecologic oncology: Rose will provide leadership and direction for surgical cancer services, adult medical cancer services, radiation oncology cancer services, cancer imaging, and pediatrics cancer services.

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Dr Rose!

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Mojdehbakhsh published in Gynecologic Oncology Reports

A quality improvement study by lead author Rachel Mojdehbakhsh, MD, PGY-2, was published in Gynecologic Oncology Reports. Co-authors include Stephen Rose, MD, Megan Peterson, DNP, Laurel Rice, MD, and Ryan Spencer, MD, all of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic that began in early 2020, industry organizations like the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommended transitioning some appointments to telemedicine. Mojdehbakhsh’s study, “A quality improvement pathway to rapidly increase telemedicine services in a Gynecologic Oncology clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic with patient satisfaction scores and environmental impact”, outlines efforts at the UW Carbone Cancer Center’s gynecologic oncology clinic to move appointments to telehealth platforms over a short period of time. The study also assessed patient satisfaction with telemedicine visits, and environmental impact of moving visits online.

“With multidisciplinary team planning and standardized note templates, transitioning 50% of encounters to telemedicine and achieving high rates of consent documentation were accomplished in four weeks. This increase in telemedicine represented a measurable decrease in the amount of CO  2 emissions. Additionally, patients were overwhelmingly satisfied.”

Read the whole study here – incredible work, Dr. Mojdehbakhsh and Gyn Onc division team!

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First HAGO Conference was a great success!

On September 10-11, the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gynecologic Oncology hosted the first-ever Heartland Association of Gynecologic Oncology (HAGO) meeting. More than 70 gynecologic oncology professionals tuned in for the virtual conference, which included two keynote presentations and 21 research abstract presentations.

HAGO was founded in 2020 by UW Ob-Gyn Division of Gyn Onc Director Stephen Rose, MD, and the program committee included Ryan Spencer, MD and UW Ob-Gyn Gyn Onc fellowship graduates Andrea O’Shea, MD and Shitanshu Uppal, MD.

Of the 21 abstracts selected for presentation, five were from our department (Matthew Wagar, MD with mentor Sumer Wallace, MD; Wagar with mentor Makeba Williams, MD; Shannon Rush, MD with mentor Steve Rose, MD; Rachel Mojdehbakhsh, MD with mentor Ryan Spencer, MD; and Connor Wang, MD with mentor Spencer).

UW Ob-Gyn Gyn Onc fellow Shannon Rush, MD earned the first Award for Clinical Research for her abstract “65 Revisited: A Revised Markov Model for Evaluating Oophorectomy at the Time of Hysterectomy for Benign Disease”!

Lisa Barroilhet, MD was also an invited distillation presenter and UW Ob-Gyn Department Chair Laurel Rice, MD gave a keynote address and received the inaugural HAGO Award for Service and Leadership.

Our congratulations to everyone involved in planning and preparing the HAGO Conference – incredible work!

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