Gynecologic cancer care at NCH: A combination of advanced treatment options and compassion

A combination of advanced diagnostic protocols, the latest treatment options and an integrated – and compassionate – team approach to patient care is what makes the Gynecologic Oncology Program at Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) one of the premier such services in the Chicago area.

The NCH Robotics Institute, in fact, was the first of its kind in Illinois to be named a Robotic Surgery Epicenter for gynecologic surgeries. In this continued role, NCH, and its team of gynecologic oncology specialists, offers advanced approaches, including laparoscopic and robotic surgery, for the treatment of gynecological disorders. Of course, the team’s use of the da Vinci^® Surgical System means less pain, safer surgery and faster recovery for patients. A large percentage of gynecologic surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis.

Rebecca Brooks, M.D., and S. Diane Yamada, M.D., are two of the newest physician leaders in the NCH Gynecologic Oncology Program. Dr. Brooks serves as the program’s medical director and is board certified in gynecologic oncology and obstetrics gynecology. Dr. Yamada, also board certified in gynecologic oncology, is an associate professor and section chief at the University of Chicago Medicine, and an expert in the treatment of ovarian and high-grade endometrial cancers. She has been serving as principal investigator for a multi-institutional clinical trial involving patients with ovarian cancer.

The two physicians have joined a team of NCH specialists noted for their evaluation and treatment of a wide array of female disorders and cancers, including such benign conditions as adenomyosis, endometriosis and fibroids, as well as cervical, ovarian, endometrial, vaginal and vulvar cancers.

Among the many gynecologic cancer services and treatment options at NCH are:

• Cervical cancer: Robotic hysterectomy, radical hysterectomy, fertility sparing surgery, pelvic exenteration, chemotherapy and radiation therapy (for more advanced disease)
• Ovarian cancer: Radical pelvic dissection, diaphragm stripping, bowel resection, splenectomy, abdominal surgery, intraperitoneal chemotherapy (when appropriate). The team also serves as a bridge to clinical trials, allowing patients access to novel therapeutic agents.
• Endometrial cancer: Minimally invasive surgical procedures, including robotic surgery; hormonal therapy and fertility sparing options; radiation therapy and chemotherapy
• Vaginal and vulvar cancer: Laser surgery, partial or radical vulvectomy and vaginectomy, reconstructive surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy and lymphadenectomy, radiation therapy and chemotherapy

The Gynecologic Oncology Program specialists also have expertise in the treatment of rare gynecologic cancers and offer patients comprehensive risk assessments and prevention programs.

Watch Drs. Brooks and Yamada describe the services of the NCH Gynecologic Oncology Program in a brief video. Find more information about the program.

To refer a patient to the Gynecologic Oncology Program, or to either Dr. Brooks or Dr. Yamada specifically, please call 1-847-618-3800.