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Specialists join Washoe Medical cancer center

Tahoe Daily Tribune

Washoe Center Services at Washoe Medical Center bring unprecedented expertise in gynecologic oncology to northern Nevada with the addition of four nationally known experts — Peter Lim, M.D., medical director of gynecologic oncology at Washoe Medical Center; and M. Dwight Chen, M.D., Peter Johnson, M.D. and Nicola Spirtos, M.D. of the Women’s Cancer Center.

“This is great new for the health of women in northern Nevada,” said Jim Miller, president and chief executive office of Washoe Health System, the parent organization of Washoe Medical Center and the area’s leading healthcare provider. “These physicians bring significant skill, knowledge and experience to our region — expertise that has been primarily available in much larger metropolitan areas. Now, women can access the most advanced care for gynecologic cancer here in our own community.”

These physicians are part of a highly specialized group of approximately 400 board-certified gynecologic oncologists nationwide. Their new office at Washoe Medical Center, the Women’s Cancer Center, is a member of the national research organization Gynecologic Oncology Group, which is funded by the National Cancer Institute. The center offers the latest in treatment for gynecologic cancers and provides a comprehensive screening program for gynecologic malignancies, including physical examinations and ultrasonography.



Patients must be referred to the center by their primary care physicians. “We are proud to offer women the most innovative treatments available in gynecologic oncology, including many not even available at other major medical cancer centers,” said Dr. Lim.

As a GOG affiliate the center will provide patients the opportunity to participate in advanced cancer research studies and have potential access to Phase II (investigational) drugs not available outside a research setting.



Drs. Lim, Chen, Johnson and Spirtos are experts in minimally-invasive cancer surgery, utilizing the innovative procedure known as laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic surgery for gynecologic oncology requires extensive training and involves the insertion of a tiny laparoscope into a series of small incisions, which allow the physician to view inside the patient’s body. Instruments can then be inserted in the same incisions for surgery. this procedure minimizes physical trauma for the patient, eliminates the need for large, invasive incisions and improves patient recovery time.

As the leading source of cancer care in the region, Washoe Cancer Services offers inpatient and outpatient services for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Washoe Cancer Services at Washoe Medical Center has been granted accreditation by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. Only one in four hospitals with cancer programs receive this special approval.


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