Gynecologic Oncology in the Department of Defense

Gynecologic oncology existed within the Department of Defense (DOD) prior to its recognition as a separate subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology. Military gynecologic oncologists were among the founders of the specialty and continue a tradition of leadership and engagement within the field at the national and international level. The full range of gynecologic oncology services is located at the military's largest medical centers, acknowledging the team approach with multiple subspecialties necessary to provide the highest standard of modern gynecologic cancer care. Gynecologic oncologists within the military receive training on par or exceeding that of their civilian counterparts, and their education extends beyond traditional training to prepare them for the unique challenges within military medicine as well. The clinical offerings from these practitioners and their facilities are state of the art, and each offers the full spectrum of care inclusive of surgery and chemotherapy. Closely coupled with expert clinical care is medical education and comprehensive cancer research. The gynecologic oncology research conducted by the DOD spans the scientific spectrum from basic laboratory investigations, to translational and molecular analyses, to all phases of clinical trials. This discussion will examine gynecologic oncology services in the DOD inclusive of infrastructure, personnel and training, clinical care and outcomes, as well as research contributions.