My name is Dr. Susan Modesitt. I am the Division Director for Gynecologic Oncology as well as the Director of the High Risk Breast and Ovarian Clinic here at the University of Virginia.

As the Division Director for GYN Oncology, I see women with ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, as well as women that have complex large abdominal masses that we think might be cancer. So, in the course of seeing these women, we evaluate them for surgery, possible radiation, treat with chemotherapy. Whatever we need to do to treat the whole woman for the gynecologic cancer.

In my other job as Director of the High Risk Breast and Ovarian Cancer Clinic, we try and identify those folks that are a very risk for cancer, whether because of genetics or personal reasons. We offer customized genetic counseling, genetic testing, identify which cancers they're a higher risk for. They might get more intensive screening. For example, adding in a breast MRI.

It's really overwhelming to get a cancer diagnosis. So, you know, as soon as I say you may have cancer or you have cancer, people really have a hard time remembering anything else I say at that moment. So, we make sure we give people a lot of written information. I ask everyone to keep a notebook and write things down as they get them, so that when the next time we talk, either on the phone or in person, that they can go through what they want.

It's really important to get know the patient, their whole family, so that you can tailor the treatments that most impact them.