Woman's Cancer Research Institute
The Cedars-Sinai Women's Cancer Research Institute at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute is an interdisciplinary program committed to ending cancer as a threat to women, through cutting edge, compassionate, comprehensive cancer care and research. Our recognized specialists participate in collaborative research between physicians and scientists to quickly and safely bring the most innovative laboratory discoveries directly to women with gynecologic and/or breast cancers.
WCRI's expert team is lead by Dr. Beth Y. Karlan, and includes national leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers of the reproductive tract, including cancers of the ovary, uterus and cervix. Our team also includes recognized experts in breast cancer surgery, treatment and research, and hereditary cancer predisposition. We provide access to a wide range of clinical trials and research support. Our comprehensive approach to gynecologic and breast care ensures that patients have access to the most advanced treatments and diagnostic modalities with assurance that personalized care is being prescribed. These close collaborations provide WCRI researchers with clinical and molecular tools in our effort to find new interventions to advance cancer care, improve early detection and prevention, and someday end cancer as a threat to women.
Activities at WCRI include:
- A Human Tissue/Tumor Repository and Relational Database, one of the largest and oldest of its kind in the United States, which provides valuable samples of cancerous and non-cancerous tissue along with correlative clinical data, and forms the foundation for our translational research activities.
- The Gilda Radner Hereditary Cancer Detection Program works with women (and men) at highest risk for breast and ovarian cancers – due to BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutations, and has helped to shape national guidelines for cancer screening and prophylactic surgery recommendations.
- Our physicians and scientists are working to develop molecularly targeted therapies and improvements in breast and ovarian cancer diagnostic technologies. We provide cutting edge clinical trials, and help to establish national care standards and education programs.
- WCRI’s diverse team is conducting groundbreaking research to discover biomarkers, with a focus on early detection and prognostic markers, as well as targets for individualized cancer treatments.
- Institutional partnerships with programs such as The Saul & Joyce Brandman Breast Center, GenRISK and Women’s Health Program to integrate our innovative research across a wide spectrum of services.
Leadership
Beth Y Karlan, MD
Board of Governors Endowed Chair in Gynecologic Oncology
Director, Women's Cancer Research Institute
Director, Division of Gynecology Oncology
Director, Gilda Radner Cancer Detection Program
