Marilyn Huang, M.D. is a gynecologic oncologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information about treatments and services for gynecologic cancers, click here or visit the UHealth Collective.
MEET MARILIS KLEVISHA:
Marilis Klevisha was devastated to learn her cervical cancer had come back.
“They said that they couldn’t do at that point anything else, that I had a prognosis of 18 months,” says Marilis.
She traveled to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center to meet with Marilyn Huang, M.D., a gynecologic oncologist and lead researcher of an investigator initiated clinical trial, using a combination of targeted chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
“She was very depressed; she had a lot of pain. She was fortunate to be able to come to South Florida from New Hampshire to receive her treatment and had a fantastic response,” Dr. Huang says.
At Sylvester, an NCI-designated cancer center, clinical trials in the area of cervical cancer are showing great progress, helping people to live longer and in some cases become cancer-free.
“Cervical cancer is preventable. It’s caused by the human papillomavirus, which accounts for more than 95% of cervical cancers. It’s preventable with the use of HPV vaccination,” says Dr. Huang.
Sylvester has partnered with the World Health Organization to eliminate cervical cancer by meeting three key goals by 2030.
“No. 1, prevention with the HPV vaccine. No. 2, with screening through either a pap smear or HPV swab. And No. 3, treatment of the cervical cancer,” Dr. Huang says.
Thanks to her treatment, Marilis is cancer-free, and was able to dance all night at her daughter’s wedding.
“That was just a miracle, a blessing. They saved my life,” Marilis says.
FOCUSING ON YOU
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