Dr. Frank Cirisano

As a specialist in gynecologic cancer, Dr. Cirisano has completed sub-specialty training in the following areas: radical surgery for cervical cancer; surgical staging for ovarian cancer including ovarian cancer tumor debulking; surgical staging for uterine cancer; and pelvic reconstruction surgery for prolapse and urinary incontinence.

Additionally, his training has included special procedures for the comprehensive management of the gynecologic oncology patient such as advanced operative laparoscopy and genetic counseling. In the course of his training he has worked with prominent leaders in cancer research at Columbia University Medical Center, Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center, UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and the Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Most recently, his training at Duke involved basic science laboratory research in the areas of BRCA1and BRCA2 gene function, and the clinical application of genetic testing in the area of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Working with a number of research teams within the gynecologic oncology field Dr. Cirisano has established himself as an author of published manuscripts in the areas of ovarian cancer genetics, endometrial cancer staging, endometrial cancer survival, management of pre-invasive disease of the cervix, and the management of gestational trophoblastic disease.

He is involved in a number of related societies including the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the Florida Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.  While caring for patients, Dr. Cirisano continues his efforts in the educational realm providing lectures, grand rounds, and symposia on a variety of topics related to Comprehensive Gynecologic Cancer Care.

Dr. Cirisano is also the founder of Womens Cancer Fund, a public 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation, CH 3273, headquartered in Delray Beach, FL. This organization is dedicated to improving the cure rates of women gynecologic cancer through strategic clinical research, treatment, and care delivery for gynecological cancers by working through community, national and international-based educational outreach programs.

Industry Relationships:
Myriad Genetics
Dr. Cirisano began his relationship with Myriad Genetics in 1996 as a collaborator in 1996. As a member of the Translational Research team at Duke University Medical Center, Dr. Cirisano worked on the initial projects characterizing the function of both the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in cell cycle regulation.  These initial sentinel publications aided in the development of the original clinical pathways for the management of the ‘Previvor’ patient population.

The ‘Previvor’ population of patients is now recognized as having a predisposition to malignancies in certain organ systems of the body. This is now understood to be due to the inheritance of certain gene mutations from their parents, which cause site specific cancers. The significantly elevated lifetime risk of cancer has been an important factor informing the surveillance pathways for these ‘High Risk’ patients.
As an active member of the company’s Speakership Bureau, Dr. Cirisano has continued his relationship as a practice consultant and educational speaker. Over the past decade, Dr. Cirisano has given lectures across the country for students, physicians, and care providers on current topics in the area of genetic testing.

Dr. Cirisano has continued his ongoing interest in the diagnosis and treatment of an aggressive form of uterine cancer termed Uterine Serous Carcinoma.
In his original research papers, Dr. Cirisano studied 844 patients with uterine cancer to find that those diagnosed with this variant, often termed Type II Uterine Serous Carcinoma, warranted a more aggressive form of therapy to achieve cure rates comparable to Type I Uterine Endometrioid Carcinoma.
His original prior research in the area of Uterine Serous Carcinoma dates back to the initial observation and distinction of this unusual form of cancer, and is described in his Sentinel Research at Duke University, analyzing the Tumor Registry Database there.These observations were published in the following papers which have been referenced by numerous other publications since this discovery:

Sentinel Article (1)

Gynecol Oncol. 1999 Sep;74(3):385-94.
Epidemiologic and surgicopathologic findings of papillary serous and clear cell endometrial cancers when compared to endometrioid carcinoma.
Cirisano FD Jr1, Robboy SJ, Dodge RK, Bentley RC, Krigman HR, Synan IS, Soper JT, Clarke-Pearson DL.

Author information

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, 27710, USA

Sentinel Article (2)

Gynecol Oncol. 2000 Apr;77(1):55-65.
The outcome of stage I-II clinically and surgically staged papillary serous and clear cell endometrial cancers when compared with endometrioid carcinoma.
Cirisano FD Jr1, Robboy SJ, Dodge RK, Bentley RC, Krigman HR, Synan IS, Soper JT, Clarke-Pearson DL.
Author information
Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.