Mitchell Clark, MD, is a gynecologic oncologist with training in both surgical and medical oncology. He has expertise in chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and minimally invasive surgeries. He sees women with gynecologic malignancies and complex surgical problems, as well as genetic conditions that put them at risk for developing a gynecologic cancer.
Dr. Clark grew up in a small, rural community, where he began thinking about becoming a doctor after a close family member died from ovarian cancer. “I saw the lack of resources and advanced treatment options, and limitations in the system,” he says. “I was inspired to pursue a specialty where I could advocate for women to receive the highest quality of care close to home.”
Since then he’s seen improvements in both treatments and survival rates for women with gynecologic cancers. Surgery has evolved to the point where he can usually offer a minimally invasive approach that not only treats cancer, but also allows patients to return to their normal routines “faster than ever,” he says. “Being at Yale allows me to offer comprehensive cancer care that encompasses a multidisciplinary approach spanning from early detection to survivorship.”
In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Clark is interested in improving care for his patients through research. “I am passionate about leveraging the power of large health care administrative databases that include thousands of women to try and answer the important questions facing our specialty,” he says. Another interest is early detection and prevention of cervical cancer. “We know that most cervical cancers are due to human papillomavirus [HPV] infections, which can be prevented through vaccination,” Dr. Clark says.
