• Cervical Cancer

    Even with an annual Pap smear test and the new vaccination for young women, cervical cancer can’t be totally prevented. But there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of developing cancer of the cervix.

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  • Vaginal Cancer

    Vaginal cancer is a relatively rare disorder, comprising about 2% to 3% of all gynecologic cancers. Approximately 2,400 women are diagnosed each year with vaginal cancer in the United States.

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  • Ovarian Cancer

    The chance of getting ovarian cancer increases as a woman gets older. Ovarian cancer occurs in women over the age of 50 and the highest risk is in women over 60.

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  • Uterine/Endometrial Cancer

    Uterine cancer is the most common of all cancers in the female reproductive system. It can either form in the inner lining of the uterus or the outer layer of muscle tissue.

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  • Molar Pregnancy

    Thought to be caused by a problem with the genetic information transmitted between an egg and sperm, molar pregnancy can develop during the first trimester of pregnancy.

    > Read More

Testimonials

  • Jan Holsclaw

    When Jan Holsclaw found out she had ovarian cancer, she was referred to Dr. Bigsby at Florida Hospital Cancer Institute for surgery and treatment. With reassuring words and...

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  • Picture 4_0_0.png
    Jan C. Garavaglia, M.D., (aka "Dr. G")
    TV Personality Jan C. Garavaglia, M.D., (aka "Dr. G") is the chief medical examiner for the District Nine (Orange-Osceola) Medical Examiner's Office in Florida.  When she...
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  • Bonnie Donihi

    Bonnie has helped to raise millions of dollars for ovarian cancer research taking place at National Cancer Institute (NCI), Department of Defense (DOD), Centers for Disease...

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Contact Us
Maps & Directions

Cancer Research

A National Leader In Cancer Research

Florida Hospital is one of the premier cancer research centers in the world, treating thousands of patients annually with the latest advances in medicine.

Our expert team of surgeons, physicians, specialists, nurses and support staff is dedicated to ensuring that advances gleaned from our cancer research can be utilized to improve the detection, treatment and outcome of cancer related disease.

Through intense cancer research, Florida Hospital’s Gynecologic Oncology Center is pushing the limits of cancer treatment and research, expertise, technology and patient care. From the Coordinated Care Programs to our nationally recognized cancer research center, we are continually finding new ways to treat and beat cancer diseases on all fronts.

Following are links to some of the current cancer treatment and research that is being conducted in concert with other organizations such as the National Cancer Institute, the Duke Comprehensive Care Center and UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center:

Peer-Reviewed Research Publications

2011

  • Secord AA, Pokrzywinski R, Havrilesky LJ, Puls LE, Holloway RW, Lewandowski GS, Higgins RV, Nycum LR, Kohler MF, Revicki DA. A multicenter, randomized, phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination docetaxel and carboplatin  in sequential therapy with docetaxel then carboplatin in patients with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. Cancer 2011; [DOI: 10.1002/cncr.26610].

  • Ramirez PT, Adams S, Boggess JF, Burke WM, Frumovitz MM, Gardner GJ, Havrileski LJ, Holloway RW, Lowe MP, Magrina JF, Moore DH, Soliman PT, Yap S. Robotic-assisted surgery in gynecologic oncology: A Society of Gynecologic Oncology Consensus Statement (Developed by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s Clinical Practice Robotics Task Force). Gynecologic Oncology 2011; [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2011.11.006].

  • Holloway RW, Ahmad S. Robotic-assisted surgery in the management of endometrial cancer. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research 2011; 37: In Press [DOI: 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2011.01744.x].

  • Pokrzywinski R, Secord AA, Havrilesky LJ, Puls LE, Holloway RW, Lewandowski GS, Higgins RV, Nycum LR, Kohler MF, Revicki DA. Health-related quality of life outcomes of docetaxel/carboplatin combination therapy vs. sequential therapy with docetaxel then carboplatin  in patients with relapsed platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer: Results from a randomized clinical trial. Gynecologic Oncolology 2011; 123:505-510

  • Bigsby IV GE, Holloway RW, Ahmad S, Sombeck MD, Ebra G, Finkler NJ. Chemoradiation with adjuvant hysterectomy for stage IB-2 cervical cancer: 10 year experince. Gynecological Surgery 2011; Accepted.

  • Rakowski JA, Ahmad S, Holloway RW. Use of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in the management of platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer: Current concepts. Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy 2011; In Press.

  • Brudie LA, Gaia G, Ahmad S, Finkler NJ, Bigsby IV GE, Ghurani GB, Kendrick IV JE, Rakowski JA, Groton JH, Holloway RW.  Peri-operative outcomes of patients with stage IV endometriosis undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery. Journal of Robotic Surgery 2011; 6: In Press [DOI: 10.1007/s11701-011-0314-3].

  • Yue P, Zhang X, Paladino D, Sengupta B, Ahmad S, Holloway RW, Ingersoll SB, Turkson J. Hyperactive EGF receptor, Jaks and Stat3 signaling promote enhanced colony-forming ability, motility and migration of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Oncogene 2011; In Press. [DOI: 10.1038/onc.2011.409].

  • Secord AA, Pokrzywinski R, Havrilesky LJ, Puls LE, Holloway RW, Lewandowski GS, Higgins RV, Nycum LR, Kohler MF, Revicki DA. A multicenter, randomized, phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination docetaxel and carboplatin  in sequential therapy with docetaxel then carboplatin in patients with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. Cancer 2011; In Press.

  • Al-Badawi IA, Al-Aker M, Bukhari I, Al-Subhi J, Al-Omar O, Ahmad S. Robotic-assisted gynecologic/oncologic surgery: Experience of early cases in a Saudi Arabian tertiary care facility. Journal of Robotic Surgery 2011; 5: In Press [DOI: 10.1007/s11701-011-0278-3].

  • Ahmad S, Ansari AA. Therapeutic roles of heparin anticoagulants in cancer and related disorders. Medicinal Chemistry 2011; 7: 504-517.

  • Ingersoll SB, Ahmad S, Thoni ND, Ahmed FH, Monahan KA, Edwards JR. Targeting the  IL-6 pathway in multiple myeloma and its implications in cancer-associated gene hypermethylation. Medicinal Chemistry 2011; 7: 473-479.

  • Brudie LA, Ahmad S, Radi MJ, Finkler NJ. Metastatic choriocarcinoma in a viable intrauterine pregnancy treated with EMA-CO in third trimester. Journal of Reproductive Medicine 2011; 56: 359-364.

  • Basha R, Ingersoll SB, Sankpal UT, Ahmad S, Baker CH, Edwards JR, Holloway RW, Kaja S, Abdelrahim M. Tolfenamic acid inhibits ovarian cancer cell growth and decreases the expression of c-Met and survivin through suppressing specificity protein transcription factors. Gynecologic Oncology 2011; 122: 163-170.

  • Ingersoll SB, Ahmad S, Stoltzfus GP, Patel S, Radi MJ, Finkler NJ, Edwards JR, Holloway RW. Functional characterization of a fluorescent highly tumorigenic ovarian cancer line to test cellular therapy in experimental models. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer 2011; 21: 457-465.

  • Holloway RW, Brudie LA, Rakowski JA, Ahmad S. Robotic-assisted resection of liver and diaphragm recurrent ovarian carcinoma: Description of technique. Gynecologic Oncology 2011; 120: 419-422.

  • Ahmad S, Ingersoll SB, Ahmad A. Impact of environmental factors on thromboembolic disorders. In: Environmental Pollution: Ecology and Human Health (Reddy GR, Flora SJS, Basha RM, Eds.), Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, 2011; 156-165.

  • Ahmad A, Husain A, Ahmad S. Importance of sulfite oxidase in health and disease. In: Environmental Pollution: Ecology and Human Health (Reddy GR, Flora SJS, Basha RM, Eds.), Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, 2011; pp. 61-71.

  • Basha RM, Baker CH, Sankpal U, Ahmad S, Safe S, Abdelrahim M. Therapeutic applications of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in cancer: Special emphasis on tolfenomic acid. Frontiers in Bioscience 2011; S3: 797-805.

2010

  • Gaia G, Holloway RW, Santoro L, Ahmad S, Di Silverio E, Spinillo A. Robotic-assisted hysterectomy for endometrial cancer compared with traditional laparoscopic and laparotomy approaches: A systematic review. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2010; 116: 1422-1431.

  • Holloway RW, Grendys EC, Lefebvre P, Vekeman F, McMeekin S. Tolerability, efficacy, and safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in combination with carboplatin versus gemcitabine/carboplatin for the treatment of platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer: A systematic review. The Oncologist 2010; 15: 1073-1082.

  • Vergote I, Finkler NJ, Hall JB, Melnyk O, Edwards RP, Jones M, Keck JG, Meng L, Brown GL, Rankin EM, Burke JJ, Boccia RV, Runowicz CD, Rose PG. Randomized phase III study of canfosfamide in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin compared with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin alone in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. 2010; 20: 772-780.

  • Holloway RW. Extreme drug resistance assay does not influence survival in women with epithelial ovarian cancer. Gynecolic Oncology 2010; 116: 147-148.

  • Sfakianos GP, Frederick PJ, Kendrick JE, Straughn JM, Kilgore LC, Huh WK. Robotic surgery in gynecologic oncology fellowship programs in the USA: A survey of fellows and fellowship directors. International Journal of Medical Robotics 2010; 6: 405-412.

  • Greer HO, Frederick PJ, Falls NM, Tapley EB, Samples KL, Kimball KJ, Kendrick JE, Conner MG, Novak L, Straughn JM Jr. Impact of a weekly multidisciplinary tumor board conference on the management of women with gynecologic malignancies. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer 2010; 20: 1321-1325.

  • Ahmad A, Ahmad S. Screening and partial immunochemical characterization of sulfite oxidase from plant source. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 2010; 48: 83-86.

  • Tetik S, Ahmad S, Alturfan AA, Fresko I, Disbudak M, Sahin Y, Aksoy H, Yardimci KT. Detection of oxidant stress in plasma of rheumatoid arthritis and primary osteoarthritis patients. Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics 2010; 47: 353-358.

  • Ahmad S. Modulation of serine proteases-mediated platelet activation by novel direct thrombin inhibitors. Journal of Medical Science 2010; 3: 44-53.

  • Pant AC, Diaz-Montes T, Tanner E, Ahmad S, Giuntoli RL, Holloway RW, Bristow RE. Correlation of extreme drug resistance assay results and progression-free survival following intra-peritoneal chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer. Journal of Chemotherapy 2010; 22: 270-274.

2009

  • Holloway RW, Ahmad S, DeNardis SA, Peterson LB, Sultana N, Bigsby GE IV, Pikaart DP, Finkler NJ. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy with lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer: Analysis of surgical performance. Gynecologic Oncology 2009; 115: 447-452.

  • Vergote I, Finkler NJ, del Campo J, Hunter J, Matei D, Kavanagh J, Vermorken JB, Meng L, Jones M, Brown G, Kaye S, The Assist-1 Study Group. Phase 3 randomized study of canfosfamide (Telcyta®, TLK286) versus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan as third-line therapy in patients with platinum-refractory or –resistant ovarian cancer. European Journal of Cancer 2009; 45: 2324-2332.

  • Mendivil A, Holloway RW, Boggess JF. Emergence of robotic assisted surgery in gynecologic oncology. Gynecologic Oncology 2009; 114: S24-S31.

  • Sultana N, Pikaart DP, Ahmad S, DeNardis SA, Finkler NJ. Paraovarian leiomyosarcoma with scalp metastasis: A case report. European Journal of Gynaecological Oncology 2009; 30: 566-567.

  • Holloway RW, Patel SD, Ahmad S. Robotic surgery in gynecology. Scandinavian Journal of Surgery 2009; 98: 96-109.

  • Schilder RJ, Pathak HB, Lokshin AE, Holloway RW, Alvarez RD, Aghajanian C, Min H, Devarajan K, Ross E, Drescher CW, Godwin AK. Phase II trial of single agent cetuximab with persistent or recurrent epithelial ovarian or primary peritoneal carcinoma with the potential for dose escalation to rash. Gynecologic Oncology 2009; 113: 21-27.

  • Ingersoll SB, Patel S, Caballero L, Ahmad S, Edwards D, Holloway RW, Edwards JR. Synergistic cytotoxicity of interferon-a2b and interleukin-2 in combination with PBMC against ovarian cancer: Development of an experimental model for cellular therapy. Gynecologic Oncology 2009; 112: 192-198.

  • Kannan M, Ahmad S, Fareed J, Saxena R. Diagnostic strategy in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Eastern Journal of Medicine 2009; 14: 78-83.

  • Leath CA III, Numnum TM, Kendrick JE IV, Frederick PJ, Rocconi RP, Conner MG, Straughn JM Jr. Patterns of failure for conservatively managed surgical stage I uterine carcinosarcoma: Implications for adjuvant therapy. International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer 2009; 19: 888-891.

  • Frederick PJ, Kendrick JE, Straughn JM Jr, Della Manna DL, Oliver PG, Lin HY, Grizzle WE, Stockard CR, Alvarez RD, Zhou T, LoBuglio AF, Buchsbaum DJ. Effect of TRA-8 anti-death receptor 5 antibody in combination with chemotherapy in an ex vivo human ovarian cancer model. International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer 2009; 19: 814-819.

  • Sfakianos GP, Numnum TM, Halverson CB, Panjeti D, Kendrick JE, Straughn JM Jr. The risk of gastrointestinal perforation and/or fistula in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer receiving bevacizumab compared to standard chemotherapy: A retrospective cohort study. Gynecologic Oncology 2009; 114: 424-426.

  • Wetta LA, Matthews KS, Kemper ML, Whitworth JM, Fain ET, Huh WK, Kendrick JE, Straughn JM Jr. The management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia during pregnancy: Is colposcopy necessary? Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease 2009; 13: 182-185.

  • Whitworth JM, Matthews KS, Shipman KA, Numnum TM, Kendrick JE, Kilgore LC, Straughn JM Jr. The safety and efficacy of day 1 versus day 2 administration of pegfilgrastim in patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy for gynecologic malignancies. Gynecologic Oncology 2009; 112: 601-614.

2008

  • DeNardis SA, Holloway RW, Bigsby GE IV, Pikaart DP, Ahmad S, Finkler NJ. Robotically assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy versus total abdominal hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer. Gynecol. Oncol. 2008; 111: 412-417.

  • Tran T, Holloway RW, Finkler NJ. Metastatic appendiceal mucinous adenocarcinoma to well-differentiated diffuse mesothelioma of the peritoneal cavity: A mimicker of florid mesothelial hyperplasia in association with neoplasms. International Journal of Gynecological Pathology 2008; 27: 526-530.

  • Ahmad A, Ahmad S, Baig MA. Purification and characterization of sulfite oxidase from goat liver. Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics 2008; 45: 379-386.

  • Hösgor I, Ahmad S. Impact of cilazapril on fibrinolytic system in hypertensive patients. Blood Coagulation & Fibrinolysis 2008; 19: 101-105.

2007

  • Pikaart DP, Holloway RW, Ahmad S, Finkler NJ, Bigsby GE IV, Ortiz BH, DeNardis SA. Clinical-pathologic and morbidity analyses of Types 2 and 3 abdominal radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer. Gynecologic Oncology 2007; 107: 205-210.

  • Holloway RW, Finkler NJ, Pikaart DP, Bigsby GE IV, DeNardis SA, Ahmad S. Comparison of total laparoscopic and abdominal radical hysterectomy for patients with early-stage cervical cancer. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2007; 110: 1174-1175.

  • Tran A, Ortiz BH, Holloway RW, Bigsby G, Finkler NJ. Primary alpha fetoprotein-producing endometrial papillary serous carcinoma metastasizing to the ovaries, mimicking primary ovarian yolk sac tumor. International Journal of Gynecological Pathology 2007; 26: 66-70.

  • Ahmad S. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: Impact of bovine versus porcine heparin in HIT pathogenesis. Frontiers in Bioscience 2007; 12: 3312-3320.

  • Mousa SA, Ahmad S. Platelet GPIIb/IIIa antagonist, XV459, in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. American Journal of Hematology 2007; 82: 276-282.