Seventy-Five Years and Counting

The history of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterDepartment of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicinedates to 1947 when Felix N. Rutledge joined the institution as thefirst gynecologist. During this 75+ year time span, there has neverbeen any systematic documentation of its story. This book providesa window into the lives of some of the people who established thisdepartment as the premier, world-class unit for the care of womenwith gynecologic cancers. In addition, it describes several of the cadre'spioneering and practice-changing contributions in clinical management,clinical and translational research, and the education ofseveral generations of gynecologic oncologists. From its inception,this department was built on the foundation of comprehensive multidisciplinarycare. As a tertiary referral center, the group has prideditself in its mission to extend advice for and management of the mostchallenging and complex cases. During this period, the department has transformed from asmall, all-male faculty until the 1970s to a robust, diverse, multi-ethnicgroup of outstanding faculty and fellows in which women nowcomprise the majority. This paradigm shift has clearly strengthenedour overall vision and mission. Dr. Rutledge's most endearing qualitieswere his humility and openness to opinions of others. As the departmentevolves, it is hoped that future generations will be inspiredby his legacy and will embrace those attributes as they continue tomake cancer history