IJGC conversations

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Drs. Charlotte LeJeune and Frédéric Amant to discuss ICG-Guided SLN Mapping in Cervical Cancer in Pregnancy. 

Dr. Charlotte LeJeune is a clinical fellow in High-Risk Obstetrics at University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium. She is currently finalising her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Frédéric Amant, founder of the International Network on Cancer, Infertility and Pregnancy (INCIP). Her research focuses on optimising the staging and treatment of cancer during pregnancy, with a particular emphasis on cervical cancer. She is an active member of the Advisory Board on Cancer, Infertility and Pregnancy (ABCIP). Her clinical and research interests focus on improving oncological and obstetric outcomes for pregnant patients diagnosed with cancer through multidisciplinary care and international collaboration.

Frédéric Amant (MD, PhD) received his medical degree from the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium in 1992, completed his specialty training as an obstetrician/gynecologist in 1998 and his subspecialty training in gynecologic oncology in 2000. He defended his thesis on uterine sarcomas in 2002 at the KU Leuven. He is specialist at the UZ Leuven in Belgium. He is professor at the KU Leuven in Belgium and at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and honorary professor at the university of Pretoria, South Africa. Since 2024 he is council member of the European Society of Gynecologic Oncology.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Dr. Gabriel Levin to discuss Decline of Trachelectomy in Early Cervical Cancer. 

Dr. Gabriel Levin is a gynecologic oncologist and clinical researcher at Bar-Ilan University, and the Holy Family Hospital, Nazareth. His work focuses on real-world outcomes research, and health systems innovation in gynecologic cancers. He has authored more than 360 peer-reviewed publications and is actively involved in advancing evidence-based care through academic leadership, mentorship and international collaboration.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Drs. Alice Bergamini and Michael Seckl to discuss Management of Adult Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors. 

Dr. Alice Bergamini is a gynecologist at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Unit of IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, and a University Researcher at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. After graduating with honors and a special mention in Medicine and Surgery from Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in 2011, she specialized in Gynecology and Obstetrics at the same university in 2017. In 2021, she completed her Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine (Clinical and Experimental Medicine curriculum).Dr. Bergamini's primary clinical interests include the diagnosis and treatment of gynecological neoplasms, particularly rare gynecological cancers.She is involved in gynecological ultrasound diagnostics, hysteroscopy, ward activities, delivery room, and obstetric/gynecological emergency care. Additionally, she conducts clinical research in gynecological oncology, serving as both principal and sub-investigator in Phase II and III clinical trials, both national and international. Dr. Bergamini is a member of EURACAN, the European Society of Gynecological Oncology (ESGO), the International Gynecological Cancer Society (IGCS), the European Network for Gynaecological Oncological Trial Groups (ENGOT) rare tumor working group, the Multicenter Italian Trials in Ovarian Cancer and Gynecologic Malignancies (MITO), and the European Organization for the Treatment of Trophoblastic Disease (EOTTD). She is the author and co-author of numerous articles published in international scientific journals (H-Index 19) and regularly participates in national and international conferences.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Dr. René Pareja to discuss Gynecologic Oncology Practice in Low & Middle Resource Settings.

Dr. René Pareja is a Gynecologist and Obstetrician, graduated from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín, Colombia in 2000; he finished his training in Gynecologic Oncology in 2003, from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and Instituto Nacional de Cancerología in Bogotá, Colombia.

He is a minimally invasive surgeon, graduated from Corporación de Estudios de la Salud (CES) in 2013. He currently works at Astorga Oncology Clinic in Medellín and at National Cancer Institute in Bogotá, Colombia.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Dr. Domenica Lorusso to discuss ROSELLA Trial: Overall Survival Outcomes.

Dr. Domenica Lorusso, MD, PhD, directs the Gynaecological Oncology Unit at Humanitas Hospital, Milan, and holds a Full Professorship in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Humanitas University, Rozzano, Milan. She has led/participated in approximately 250 phase I-IV clinical trials. Currently overseeing more than 60 studies as Principal Investigator, Dr. Lorusso also chairs the Clinical Trials Committee of the MITO Group. She serves on the Board of Directors of the GCIG and is an active member of ENGOT, where she chairs the Gynecological Cancer Academy. Additionally, she sits on the Board of Directors of the ESGO. With around 300 international oncology publications and contributions to national and international treatment guidelines, her primary objectives are to ensure optimal patient care, foster clinical research, and advance international collaborations and education in the field. Her recent work, “Overall survival with relacorilant and nab-paclitaxel in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (ROSELLA): a phase 3 randomised controlled trial,“ is published in the Lancet.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Dr. Emese Zsiros to discuss KEYNOTE-B96: Pembrolizumab and Weekly Paclitaxel in Ovarian Cancer.

Emese Zsiros, MD, PhD, FACOG, is Chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and the Shashi Lele, MD Endowed Chair at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she is also Professor of Oncology and co-leader of the Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Program.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Dr. René Pareja to discuss FIGO/IGCS Statement on Topical Treatments for HPV CIN3+.

Dr. René Pareja is a Gynecologist and Obstetrician, graduated from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín, Colombia in 2000; he finished his training in Gynecologic Oncology in 2003, from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and Instituto Nacional de Cancerología in Bogotá, Colombia.

He is a minimally invasive surgeon, graduated from Corporación de Estudios de la Salud (CES) in 2013. He currently works at Astorga Oncology Clinic in Medellín and at National Cancer Institute in Bogotá, Colombia.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Dr. Alex Melamed to discuss Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Mortality in Low- vs High-Volume Centers.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Aparna A. Kamat and Arthur Hsu to discuss GLP1-RAs and Cancer Risk in Non-diabetic Patients.

Dr. Aparna Kamat is the director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology for Houston Methodist and is currently the section leader for the Gynecologic Oncology service line. After completing medical training in India, Dr. Kamat completed her residency in OB/GYN at West Virginia University, where she served as chief resident.

Arthur Heng-Cheng Hsu, MD, is a gynecologic oncologist at the National Taiwan University Hospital and focuses on surgery, cancer therapy, and patient recovery. He serves as the Director of Journal Operations for the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer (IJGC). His recent work is published in the Annals of Oncology exploring GLP-1 receptor agonist use and cancer risk in obese, non-diabetic adults.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Paula Mateo-Kubach and Behrouz Zand to discuss Statin Use in Gynecologic Cancer Therapy.

Paula Mateo-Kubach, MD, is a Spanish physician who completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Toledo, Spain. She is currently a Research Fellow at Houston Methodist Hospital, where her work focuses on perioperative care and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). In parallel, she is pursuing a PhD at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, with research centered on ERAS implementation challenges and opioid use in surgical care. Her next goal is to complete clinical training in gynecologic oncology.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ When she is not filling her database, she can be found underwater, she is a PADI-certified rescue diver.

Dr. Behrouz Zand is a gynecologic oncologist at Houston Methodist Hospital's Neal Cancer Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and an assistant professor at Weill Cornell College at Houston Methodist Academic Institute. Specializing in innovative cancer care and clinical trials, he is passionate about integrating AI in medicine, a recent alumnus of the physician program at MIT for AI integration in healthcare. Dr. Zand combines cutting-edge research with compassionate patient care to advance the field.