Gynecologic Oncology Program
Accelerating Access to Gynecologic Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
At City of Hope® Cancer Center Chicago, located in Northern Illinois, we provide specialized, collaborative care to treat all stages of gynecologic cancers, including early stage, advanced stage and recurrent malignancies. As part of our commitment to delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care, our program incorporates genomic sequencing and profiling of a patient’s tumor to determine if targeted therapies or clinical trials would be beneficial, as well focuses on all aspects of survivorship, including genetic counseling and testing, fertility evaluation and preservation, and pelvic floor rehabilitation for early intervention and post-surgical weakness.
Meet Our Illinois Gynecologic Oncology Physicians
Our multidisciplinary team is comprised of experts in gynecologic cancers, including gynecologic oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, gynecologic pathologists, interventional radiologists, supportive care team members and more.
Barbara Buttin, M.D.
Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery
Gynecologic Oncologist
Dr. Buttin has over 15 years of experience evaluating and treating gynecologic malignancies. She is an expert in minimally invasive surgery, including robotic surgery, with over 1,500 cases performed.
Hatem Halabi, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Halabi is highly skilled in minimally invasive, advanced techniques and technologies, including cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers.
Karen Smorowski, M.D.
Radiation Oncologist
Dr. Smorowski provides radiation therapy for patients with women’s cancers. A cancer survivor herself, she has served as principal investigator for several radiation oncology clinical trials.
About Our Program
Our program in Northern Illinois treats all stages and types of gynecologic malignancies, offering rapid access to appointments for referred patients.
Types of gynecologic cancers we treat:
We offer a comprehensive range of oncology services to diagnose and treat gynecologic malignancies, including:
Gynecologic Surgery Expertise
Our Illinois City of Hope Chicago offers a range of advanced surgical procedures, incorporating minimally invasive and robotic techniques, with a team that:
- Is experienced in performing robotic surgery for high-risk gynecologic patients (those who are obese, over the age of 65 and/or have co-morbidities such as heart disease and diabetes)
- Collaborates with interventional radiologists to perform preoperative embolization for large uterine masses and sarcomas to help decrease bleeding, the necessity for blood transfusion and duration of surgery
- Is skilled at providing hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) following cytoreductive surgery to allow for a higher dose of chemotherapy to the surgical site and improve the absorption of chemotherapy into tumor cells
- Coordinates with plastic and reconstructive surgeons for neovaginal plastic surgery following radical surgery to reconstruct and restore the vaginal function and appearance
- Addresses a patient's quality of life pre- and post-operatively through a multidisciplinary Advanced Surgical Recovery Program (ASURE) to help reduce complications and the amount of narcotics used in postsurgical care, and help patients resume everyday activities more quickly
Refer a Patient to City of Hope
We strive to offer a well-coordinated experience for our referring providers. Upon receiving your referral, our team will immediately begin processing it, with minimal work on your end.
Our Commitment to Clinical Excellence
Our Illinois cancer center is recognized by several organizations that evaluate the quality of hospital programs, including:
Latest Gynecologic Cancer News
Dedication to Speed to Care
City of Hope Chicago and our outpatient cancer care locations are intentionally structured to maximize speed to care, with: