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Michigan State University Health Care and Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Greater Lansing have welcomed their newest physician, Jayson B. Field, MD.
Show Notes
Dr. Field is a nationally recognized gynecologic oncologist. He brings more than 15 years of oncology experience to Mid-Michigan. Dr. Field specializes in minimally invasive surgery, open debulking of ovarian cancer, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy treatments for women with gynecologic cancers, including ovarian and endometrial cancer. Since 2012, he has served as principal investigator for Gynecologic Oncology Group, NRG Oncology Clinical Trials, which is responsible for improving and expanding cancer diagnosis and treatment. He is assistant professor and director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology in the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University.
“Gynecologic oncology has a bit of a name problem,” says Field. “We're basically specialists in women's cancer. We treat women with cancers of the reproductive tract and sometimes benign problems as well, so problems with the uterus, the cervix, the ovaries, and the tubes. We do both surgery and chemotherapy and coordinate radiation oncology care for women with gynecologic cancer. We're a bit like the primary care doctor for women with those types of cancers.”
What attracted Dr. Field to MSU?
“The biggest thing that a gynecologic oncologist likes to do is be busy taking care of patients, and this area has been without a gynecologic oncologist. Everyone was really enthusiastic about being able to offer those services in this area. My main goal is to take excellent care of patients and do excellent surgery and care for patients through the life cycle after their diagnosis with a cancer.”
Dr. Field says there have been “amazing breakthroughs” in the last three years.
“We'd gone through sort of a 10-year dry period with not a lot of new treatments, and in the last three years, we've got a whole new class of treatments for patients with ovarian cancer that overlaps with breast cancer patients. The PARP inhibitors are really effective in patients with genetic predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer. But we're finding that 50 percent of patients, whether they've inherited those mutations or not, can benefit from those drugs, which is really exciting. We're realizing how much earlier to offer those treatments to patients. The next step is combinations of new therapies to treat patients once they've developed resistance to drugs.”
Field talks about the role telemedicine has played during the pandemic, and he thinks it will remain in some form even after the pandemic.
“This was a breakthrough. The increase was almost instantaneous last March and was automatically approved to be used as a regular visit. A lot of my patients are elderly and are brought to me by their kids or their relatives and have transportation issues and functional limitations. To be able to not have to get out, get in the car, get in a parking spot and make their way into a clinic and instead be able to hook up to somebody's smartphone, I think is just really nice for patients. I don't know that I'm great at it yet, but I just think it's really nice for patients to have that as an option.”
Do you think we’ll ever cure cancer?
“Cancer isn't one thing. It's one of the reasons that what I do is so interesting. Ovarian cancers, from a doctor's perspective and a scientist's perspective, are really interesting because the ovaries can make anything, a whole person. The range of cancers that come from the ovary are so different. I'm always in awe of my pathologists to be able to tell the difference in types of cancer just from the small amount of tissue that we give them. There's so much variety. I think we're getting better and better. In the last three, four, five years, things have sort of rapidly moved in a direction that nobody anticipated just from 10 years ago. So always the hope is to get rid of it, but it's not one thing. It's not that simple.”
Dr. Field says the main things patients can do to prevent cancer are the things we do for ourselves every day.
“Two-thirds of cancers can be prevented by things like not smoking and eating healthy and exercising. Several of the cancers I take care of are really helped by people who live a healthy lifestyle; that's probably the biggest thing you can do. The next step is to see your doctor yearly. For women, I think they should be seeing their gynecologist yearly. They're going to screen them for cancers, like cervical cancer, and ask them questions related to the other types of cancers that I treat.
“If they notice differences in their body, like bleeding when they haven't had a period in a long time or problems where they're losing weight and not really trying to lose weight or having trouble eating or problems using the bathroom or new pains or discomforts that they haven't had before and those symptoms stick around for three weeks, they should get those checked out by their primary doctor and their gynecologist. Usually, the way I see patients is their excellent primary doctors have picked up that something's wrong and oftentimes sent them for tests or imaging. By the time I see them, it's very obvious what's going on, whereas it can sometimes take weeks, months, and even a year to figure out that first part, who they need to see.”
MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on 105.1 FM, AM 870, and wkar.org. Find “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.
“Gynecologic oncology has a bit of a name problem,” says Field. “We're basically specialists in women's cancer. We treat women with cancers of the reproductive tract and sometimes benign problems as well, so problems with the uterus, the cervix, the ovaries, and the tubes. We do both surgery and chemotherapy and coordinate radiation oncology care for women with gynecologic cancer. We're a bit like the primary care doctor for women with those types of cancers.”
What attracted Dr. Field to MSU?
“The biggest thing that a gynecologic oncologist likes to do is be busy taking care of patients, and this area has been without a gynecologic oncologist. Everyone was really enthusiastic about being able to offer those services in this area. My main goal is to take excellent care of patients and do excellent surgery and care for patients through the life cycle after their diagnosis with a cancer.”
Dr. Field says there have been “amazing breakthroughs” in the last three years.
“We'd gone through sort of a 10-year dry period with not a lot of new treatments, and in the last three years, we've got a whole new class of treatments for patients with ovarian cancer that overlaps with breast cancer patients. The PARP inhibitors are really effective in patients with genetic predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer. But we're finding that 50 percent of patients, whether they've inherited those mutations or not, can benefit from those drugs, which is really exciting. We're realizing how much earlier to offer those treatments to patients. The next step is combinations of new therapies to treat patients once they've developed resistance to drugs.”
Field talks about the role telemedicine has played during the pandemic, and he thinks it will remain in some form even after the pandemic.
“This was a breakthrough. The increase was almost instantaneous last March and was automatically approved to be used as a regular visit. A lot of my patients are elderly and are brought to me by their kids or their relatives and have transportation issues and functional limitations. To be able to not have to get out, get in the car, get in a parking spot and make their way into a clinic and instead be able to hook up to somebody's smartphone, I think is just really nice for patients. I don't know that I'm great at it yet, but I just think it's really nice for patients to have that as an option.”
Do you think we’ll ever cure cancer?
“Cancer isn't one thing. It's one of the reasons that what I do is so interesting. Ovarian cancers, from a doctor's perspective and a scientist's perspective, are really interesting because the ovaries can make anything, a whole person. The range of cancers that come from the ovary are so different. I'm always in awe of my pathologists to be able to tell the difference in types of cancer just from the small amount of tissue that we give them. There's so much variety. I think we're getting better and better. In the last three, four, five years, things have sort of rapidly moved in a direction that nobody anticipated just from 10 years ago. So always the hope is to get rid of it, but it's not one thing. It's not that simple.”
Dr. Field says the main things patients can do to prevent cancer are the things we do for ourselves every day.
“Two-thirds of cancers can be prevented by things like not smoking and eating healthy and exercising. Several of the cancers I take care of are really helped by people who live a healthy lifestyle; that's probably the biggest thing you can do. The next step is to see your doctor yearly. For women, I think they should be seeing their gynecologist yearly. They're going to screen them for cancers, like cervical cancer, and ask them questions related to the other types of cancers that I treat.
“If they notice differences in their body, like bleeding when they haven't had a period in a long time or problems where they're losing weight and not really trying to lose weight or having trouble eating or problems using the bathroom or new pains or discomforts that they haven't had before and those symptoms stick around for three weeks, they should get those checked out by their primary doctor and their gynecologist. Usually, the way I see patients is their excellent primary doctors have picked up that something's wrong and oftentimes sent them for tests or imaging. By the time I see them, it's very obvious what's going on, whereas it can sometimes take weeks, months, and even a year to figure out that first part, who they need to see.”
MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on 105.1 FM, AM 870, and wkar.org. Find “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.
Creators & Guests
What is MSU Today with Russ White?
MSU Today is a lively look at Michigan State University-related people, places, events and attitudes put into focus by Russ White. The show airs Saturdays at 5 P.M. and Sundays at 5 A.M. on 102.3 FM and AM 870 WKAR, and 8 P.M. on AM 760 WJR.
Russ White 0:00
Michigan State University Health Care and Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Greater Lansing have welcomed their newest physician Jason B field MD. Dr. field is a nationally recognized gynecologic oncologist. He brings more than 15 years of oncology experienced to mid Michigan. Dr. Fields specializes in minimally invasive surgery, open debulking ovarian cancer, chemotherapy and hormone therapy treatments for women with gynecologic cancers, including ovarian and endometrial cancer. Since 2012. He has served as principal investigator for Gynecologic Oncology Group NRG oncology clinical trials, which is responsible for improving and expanding cancer diagnosis and treatment. Dr. field is Assistant Professor and Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology in the department of Obstetrics gynecology and reproductive biology in the College of human medicine at Michigan State University. And it's a pleasure to welcome him to MSU today, good to talk with you Dr. field.
Unknown Speaker 1:09
Thank you for for having me here today.
Russ White 1:11
What is gynecologic oncology and what does a gynecologic oncologist do?
Unknown Speaker 1:17
Yeah, Gynecologic Oncology has a bit of a name problem. It's basically they're basically specialists in women's cancer. So we treat women with cancers of the reproductive tract and sometimes benign problems as well. So, problems with the uterus, the cervix, the ovaries, the tubes. We do both surgery and chemotherapy and coordinate radiation oncology care for women with gynecologic cancer. So we're a bit like the primary care doctor for women with those types of cancers.
Russ White 1:55
So tell me a little bit more about your background and how you arrived at MSU.
Unknown Speaker 2:00
I'm from Michigan from Kalamazoo, Michigan, did my undergraduate at U of M. And microbiology. I went to Wayne State University for medical school. I stayed there for my residency training a hospital hospital and obstetrics and gynecology. I did research with virologist Wayne Lancaster and human papilloma virus and cervical dysplasia and cervical cancers and then went on to do my fellowship at utmb Galveston in 2006. I came back to Michigan and worked with a former chairman colleague and was in practice for 15 years and in the Detroit area. Found out that another former colleague, Rick Leach was now the department chair here and they were interested in starting a program in gynecologic oncology. And and really it was Dr. Leach the was the you know the attraction for me to come over this way.
Russ White 3:09
Tell me more what attracted you to this position at this time at MSU.
Unknown Speaker 3:13
The biggest thing that a gynecologic oncologist likes to do is be busy taking care of patients. And this area has been without a gynecologic oncologist so everyone was really enthusiastic about being able to offer those services in this area. Dr. Li ch has really strong research program that already does a lot of research in the areas of endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer in addition to issues with fertility and Uncle fertility and endometriosis. So they he felt that I could really contribute to that research program as well as began a clinical program
Russ White 3:53
and what are your research and patient care specialties? What are your your goals as you get started at MSU?
Unknown Speaker 4:00
Well, my main goal is to take excellent care of patients getting you know excellent surgery and care for patients kind of through the lifecycle after their diagnosis with with a cancer research interests that can we can contribute tissues from those patients for the basic and translational science that's going on in the lab.
Russ White 4:23
And do you see breakthroughs in the cancer treatment you specialize in on the horizon? What's sort of the state of Gynecologic Oncology these days.
Unknown Speaker 4:32
I mean, there's been amazing breakthroughs in the last three years. We've done I don't know through sort of a 10 year dry period with not a lot of new treatments. And in the last three years we've got a whole new class of treatment for patients with ovarian cancer that overlaps with breast cancer patients. The PARP inhibitors that are really effective in patient with genetic predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer. But we're finding the 50% of patients, whether they've inherited those mutations or not, can benefit from those drugs, which is really exciting. we're realizing how much earlier to to offer those treatments to patients. The next step is combinations of new therapies to treat patients when they once they've developed resistance to drugs, what are some challenges in getting to where you want to be? And then also, what
Russ White 5:32
are you optimistic about?
Unknown Speaker 5:34
Well, first step is just getting my name out. So this is a great step in that direction. In the age of COVID, there aren't any in person Grand Rounds or meetings. So it's all virtual meetings like this, which is very different for somebody that, you know, during the whole pandemic, I've been in the office and in the operating room seeing patients every day. You know, the difference for me has been like the big groups, the grand rounds and meetings are now virtual. I have done some virtual and telemedicine visits with patients, which I think has been really nice for patients to not have to travel and also to stay safe and an agent COVID.
Russ White 6:16
I assume you see telemedicine staying around in some form?
Unknown Speaker 6:20
I hope it does. Yeah, I mean, some insurance companies my understanding of backed off on, on, on allowing it. This was a, you know, a breakthrough, it was only sort of exceptional areas that had telemedicine available. I know MSU Did, did they have some telemedicine, but the increase was almost instantaneous last March, that you know, was automatically approved to be used as a regular visit. A lot of my patients are elderly, and are brought by, you know, their kids or their relatives and have transportation issues and kind of functional limitations. So to be able to not have to, you know, get out, get in the car, getting a parking spot and make their way into a clinic and instead be able to, you know, hook up to somebody's smartphone, I think is just really nice for patients. I don't know that I'm great at it yet, because of my presence with a video screen. But I just think it's really nice for patients to have that as an option.
Russ White 7:23
Right and better to bet than nothing. I suppose. So. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know if this question is too pie in the sky, Dr. Field, but do you think we can cure cancer? Is that a dream or a reality?
Unknown Speaker 7:36
I mean, cancer isn't one thing. It's one of the reasons that what I do is so interesting. ovarian cancer is really, you know, from a doctor's perspective, and a scientist six perspective, really interesting, because the ovaries can make anything a whole person. So the range of cancers that come from the ovary are so different, I'm always, you know, in all of my pathologists to be able to tell the difference, and in the different histologies and types of cancer, just from the small amount of tissue that we give them. There's, there's so much variety, I think we're getting better and better. And the last, you know, three, four or five years, things have have sort of rapidly moved in a direction that nobody anticipated, just, you know, from 10 years ago. So always the hope is to get rid of it. But it's not. It's not one thing, it's not that simple. And makes sense. So
Russ White 8:34
I'm just curious to how early in life Did you know you wanted to be a physician, I can already sense your care for helping people.
Unknown Speaker 8:42
It was really early on for knowing I wanted to go into medicine, probably my, you know, seventh, eighth and ninth grade biology teachers and science teachers, just with the excitement that they had for the idea of understanding how our bodies work. You know, I, I think that's really interesting, and just sort of essential knowledge that, that I had to have, and I you know, sometimes feel bad for, for patients that that don't understand their bodies that well and I was, you know, they're lucky if they have an advocate, you know, a nurse or some medical person in the family, oftentimes, I'll, you know, talk to a son or daughter in law that's across the country to, you know, at the same time and seeing a patient so that they can kind of be there to listen and, and kind of bring it to a more personal level of understanding for patients. So So yeah, I knew I wanted to do medicine for sure from early on.
Russ White 9:42
Well, you know, potential patients can certainly Google Dr. Jason field, but what is the best way for people to obtain your services? And I guess a second part of that question, what do you want us to keep in mind about Gynecologic Oncology in general,
Unknown Speaker 9:58
I mean, the biggest thing for patients that Is the stuff they do for themselves every day, trying to eat healthy trying to stay active and exercise. Two thirds of cancers can be prevented by things like not smoking and eating healthy and exercising. And, you know, several of the cancers I take care of are really helped by people that live a healthy lifestyle. So that's probably the biggest thing you're going to do. The next step is to see your doctor yearly. You know, for women, I think they should be seeing their gynecologist yearly. And they're going to screen them for cancers, like cervical cancer. And ask them questions related to the other types of cancers that I treat. If they notice differences in their body like bleeding when they haven't had a period in a long time or problems where they're losing weight and not really trying to lose weight or having trouble eating or problems using the bathroom, or new pains or discomfort that they haven't had before. If those stick around for three weeks, they should get those checked out by their primary doctor and their gynecologist and usually the way I see patients as their, you know, excellent primary doctors have picked up that something's wrong and oftentimes sent them for, you know, tests or imaging. So by the time I see them, it's you know, very obvious what's going on. Whereas it can sometimes take, you know, weeks, months and even a year to figure out you know, that first part who they need to see. Well, Dr. Field, it's
Russ White 11:34
been great talking with you and thank you for talking with me today on MSU today, my pleasure. Thank you for taking the time. That's Jason B field MD, and he's a gynecologic oncologist new to Michigan State University. He's an Assistant Professor and Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology in the department of Obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology in the College of human medicine at Michigan State University. And I'm Russ white for MSU today
Transcribed by https://otter.ai