Research Summary

Dr. Lee-may Chen is the Director of the UCSF Division of Gynecologic Oncology. She is deeply committed to education and improving the outcomes of gynecologic cancer care.
Since 2008, I have been the director of the UCSF Gynecologic Cancer Risk Program. With a strong collaboration between the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program and the Department of Pathology, we have long been interested in identifying at-risk individuals and families for hereditary cancer syndromes. The decision for risk-reducing surgery is fraught with unknowns and anxiety for patients. By studying patient centered outcomes, we are better able to counsel and personalize their decision making.
We are also working closely with the Medical Center on their Perioperative Pathway Program. By creating a surgical pathway for open & minimally invasive surgery cases, we have been able to reduce hospital length of stay and decrease costs without compromising patient satisfaction. Surgical pathways also proves a robust platform to teach quality improvement, and we have integrated medical students, residents, and fellows into various performance improvement projects (opiate disposal, bowel prep) along the patients’ journey.

Education

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, B.S., 1985-1989, Biomedical Sciences
University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, M.D., 1988-1992, Chinese Studies, Medicine
University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor, MI, Residency, 1992-1996, Obstetrics & Gynecology
University of California, Los Angeles & Cedars-Sinai Medical Centers, Fellowship, 1996-1999, Gynecologic Oncology
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 2006-2007, Teaching Scholars Program
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 2010, Mentor Development Program

Honors & Awards

  • 1999
    ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop
  • 2001
    Berlex Foundation, Junior Faculty Development Course
  • 2002
    ACOG/CREOG National Faculty Award
  • 2003-2005
    UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
  • 2007-2008
    Outstanding Resident Teaching Award
  • 2006
    Cancer Liason Physician Outstanding Performance Award
  • 2010
    Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Quality Award
  • 2010
    The Ernie H. Rosenbaum, MD Commitment to Patient Care Award
  • 2010-2015
    Edward C. Hill, MD, Endowed Chair

Selected Publications

  1. Zhu X, Alvarez EA, Umetsu SE, Chapman JS, Chen LM, Ueda S, Henderson S, Nguyen P, Calabrese S, Russell J, Aguilar J, Smith SA, Shah N, Feeney L, Van Ziffle J, Turski ML, Ko AH, Munster PN, Ashworth A, Collisson EA, Aggarwal RR. Efficacy of the ATR Inhibitor Ceralasertib in Patients with ARID1A-Deficient Gynecologic and Other Solid Tumor Malignancies. Clin Cancer Res. 2026 May 01; 32(9):1632-1640. View on PubMed
  2. Swanson M, El Ayadi A, Nakalembe M, Namugga J, Nakisige C, Chen LM, Huchko MJ. Predictors of delay in the cervical cancer care cascade in Kampala, Uganda. BMC Womens Health. 2026 Feb 13; 26(1). View on PubMed
  3. Chen L. Who is following up? Rethinking survivorship and surveillance. Gynecol Oncol. 2025 Dec; 203:A1-A2. View on PubMed
  4. Weiss JM, Gupta S, Burke CA, Axell L, Chen LM, Chung DC, Clayback KM, Dallas S, Felder S, Gbolahan O, Giardiello FM, Grady W, Hall MJ, Hampel H, Hodan R, Idos G, Kanth P, Katona B, Lamps L, Llor X, Lynch PM, Markowitz AJ, Pirzadeh-Miller S, Samadder NJ, Shibata D, Swanson BJ, Szymaniak BM, Wiesner GL, Wolf A, Yurgelun MB, Zakhour M, Darlow SD, Dwyer MA, Campbell M. NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Colorectal, Version 1.2021. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2021 10 15; 19(10):1122-1132. View on PubMed
  5. Swisher EM, Kristeleit RS, Oza AM, Tinker AV, Ray-Coquard I, Oaknin A, Coleman RL, Burris HA, Aghajanian C, O'Malley DM, Leary A, Welch S, Provencher D, Shapiro GI, Chen LM, Shapira-Frommer R, Kaufmann SH, Goble S, Maloney L, Kwan T, Lin KK, McNeish IA. Characterization of patients with long-term responses to rucaparib treatment in recurrent ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2021 12; 163(3):490-497. View on PubMed
  6. McNamara B, Guerra R, Qin J, Craig AD, Chen LM, Varma MG, Chapman JS. Survival impact of bowel resection at the time of interval cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2021 Nov; 38:100870. View on PubMed
  7. Craig AD, Garcia E, Peters PN, Chen LM, Chapman JS. Primary treatment of advanced ovarian cancer: how does the 'real world' practice? Future Oncol. 2021 Dec; 17(34):4687-4696. View on PubMed
  8. McNally L, Rabban JT, Poder L, Chetty S, Ueda S, Chen LM. Differentiating complete hydatidiform mole and coexistent fetus and placental mesenchymal dysplasia: A series of 9 cases and review of the literature. Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2021 Aug; 37:100811. View on PubMed
  9. Konecny GE, Oza AM, Tinker AV, Oaknin A, Shapira-Frommer R, Ray-Coquard I, Aghajanian C, Coleman RL, O'Malley DM, Leary A, Chen LM, Provencher D, Ma L, Brenton JD, Castro C, Green M, Simmons AD, Beltman J, Harding T, Lin KK, Goble S, Maloney L, Kristeleit RS, McNeish IA, Swisher EM, Xiao JJ. Population exposure-efficacy and exposure-safety analyses for rucaparib in patients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma from Study 10 and ARIEL2. Gynecol Oncol. 2021 06; 161(3):668-675. View on PubMed
  10. Chapman CH, Cunha AJ, Littell RD, Chen LM, Hsu IC. High-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for vaginal endometrial cancer recurrence after prior surgery and radiotherapy. Brachytherapy. 2021 May-Jun; 20(3):536-542. View on PubMed
  11. Armstrong DK, Alvarez RD, Bakkum-Gamez JN, Barroilhet L, Behbakht K, Berchuck A, Chen LM, Cristea M, DeRosa M, Eisenhauer EL, Gershenson DM, Gray HJ, Grisham R, Hakam A, Jain A, Karam A, Konecny GE, Leath CA, Liu J, Mahdi H, Martin L, Matei D, McHale M, McLean K, Miller DS, O'Malley DM, Percac-Lima S, Ratner E, Remmenga SW, Vargas R, Werner TL, Zsiros E, Burns JL, Engh AM. Ovarian Cancer, Version 2.2020, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2021 02 02; 19(2):191-226. View on PubMed
  12. Swanson M, Nakalembe M, Chen LM, Ueda S, Namugga J, Nakisige C, Huchko MJ. Surgical candidacy and treatment initiation among women with cervical cancer at public referral hospitals in Kampala, Uganda: a descriptive cohort study. BMJ Open. 2020 12 12; 10(12):e039946. View on PubMed
  13. Levinson A, Lee AG, Martell HJ, Breese MR, Zaloudek C, Van Ziffle J, Laguna B, Leung SG, Chen MD, Chen LM, Pfeil J, Ladwig NR, Shah AT, Behroozfard I, Rao AA, Salama SR, Sweet-Cordero EA, Stieglitz E. Complete Response to PD-1 Inhibition in an Adolescent With Relapsed Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma of the Cervix Predicted by Neoepitope Burden and APOBEC Signature. JCO Precis Oncol. 2020; 4. View on PubMed
  14. Atallah M, Cooper B, Muñoz RF, Paul SM, Anguera J, Levine JD, Hammer M, Wright F, Chen LM, Melisko M, Conley YP, Miaskowski C, Dunn LB. Psychological Symptoms and Stress Are Associated With Decrements in Attentional Function in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy. Cancer Nurs. 2020 Sep/Oct; 43(5):402-410. View on PubMed
  15. Sinha S, Lazar A, Lam A, Anderson EM, Chen LM, Hsu IJ, Yoshida EJ. Adjuvant radiation followed by chemotherapy is associated with improved overall survival in endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2020 10; 159(1):30-35. View on PubMed
  16. Sarin A, Lancaster E, Chen LL, Porten S, Chen LM, Lager J, Wick E. Using provider-focused education toolkits can aid enhanced recovery programs to further reduce patient exposure to opioids. Perioper Med (Lond). 2020; 9:21. View on PubMed
  17. Peters PN, Pierson WE, Chen LM, Westphalen AC, Chapman JS, Hsu IC. PET-detected asymptomatic recurrence is associated with improved survival in recurrent cervical cancer. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2021 01; 46(1):341-350. View on PubMed
  18. McNally L, Zhou Y, Robinson JF, Zhao G, Chen LM, Chen H, Kim MY, Kapidzic M, Gormley M, Hannibal R, Fisher SJ. Up-regulated cytotrophoblast DOCK4 contributes to over-invasion in placenta accreta spectrum. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 07 07; 117(27):15852-15861. View on PubMed
  19. Pierson WE, Peters PN, Chang MT, Chen LM, Quigley DA, Ashworth A, Chapman JS. An integrated molecular profile of endometrioid ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2020 04; 157(1):55-61. View on PubMed
  20. Chen LM, Blank SV, Burton E, Glass K, Penick E, Woodard T. Corrigendum to "Reproductive and hormonal considerations in women at increased risk for hereditary gynecologic cancers: Society of Gynecologic Oncology and American Society for reproductive medicine evidence-based review" [Gynecol. Oncol. 155 (2019) 508-514]. Gynecol Oncol. 2020 Mar; 156(3):748. View on PubMed

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