Dr. Kevin Brader on Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month

September marks the sixth annual Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. With that in mind, Kevin Brader, M.D., Gynecologic Oncologist at The Lacks Cancer Center at Saint Mary’s, offers a few important reminders for women of all ages and presents his take on cancer care at Lacks.

“Women should be aware that gynecologic cancers are the third, fourth, and fifth most common cancers in women (uterine, ovarian, and cervix),” Dr. Brader said. “Each one has different features that women should know about.” (See information box for more details.) He said the single most important thing to remember is that “any post-menopausal bleeding, even a single spot, is abnormal and must be evaluated by ultrasound or biopsy.”

According to Dr. Brader, women diagnosed with certain gynecologic cancers “should be seen by a gynecologic oncologist.” “Outcomes are the best when women undergo ovarian cancer surgery by Gynecologic Oncologists,” Dr. Brader said. “If a woman is diagnosed with a pelvic mass, I would recommend she at least be evaluated by a Gynecologic Oncologist prior to having surgery.” And, The Lacks Cancer Center is just the place to have that done.

“The Lacks Cancer Center offers a comprehensive approach to the gynecologic cancer patient,” Dr. Brader said. “By this I mean that we not only focus on the cancer and its treatment, but also upon the emotional, social and spiritual effects of a cancer diagnosis. We aim our treatment at the whole person and not just at the cancer. We focus our approach upon what will benefit the person’s quality and quantity of life, and not only upon what will eradicate the tumor.”

Treatment at Lacks also provides an “expedited process” for the patient, such that “we see them and treat them immediately,” Dr. Brader said. “This helps reduce some of the anxiety associated with the diagnosis and places the patient in a more empowering position of action as soon as possible. Lacks also offers an experienced Gynecologic Oncologist with significant experience in the management of these malignancies. Finally, Lack’s treats all patients equally, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. We often help the uninsured patient obtain resources such that their treatment does not bankrupt them.”

At Lacks, gynecologic oncology is a multidisciplinary specialty. “We are trained in all aspects of the care of women with gynecologic malignancies,” Dr. Brader said. “We make the diagnosis, do the staging, do the cancer surgery, and give the chemotherapy. Although we do not administer the radiation therapy ourselves, we are heavily trained in radiation oncology and work with the radiation oncologist in the treatment of our patients if they need radiation.” Dr. Brader said gynecologic oncology is “the only comprehensive cancer specialty, in that we are with the patient through every stage of their treatment.”

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Kevin Brader, M.D., Gynecologic Oncologist,
The Lacks Cancer Center at Saint Mary’s

Dr. Brader joined the staff at The Lacks Cancer Center in 2004. His undergraduate work was performed at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, and completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern. From 1994 to 1997, Brader was a fellow in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, one of the nation’s leading cancer hospitals.

He also was an assistant professor of gynecologic oncology at the University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles (1997-1999) and held the same position at Vanderbilt University in Nashville (1999-2002). Most recently, Brader practiced at the Texas Oncology Cancer Center in Austin, Texas.