Q and A with Gynecologic Oncologist Matthew Schlumbrecht
Researcher studies endometrial cancer disparities and supports trainees at Sylvester and abroad.
Matthew Schlumbrecht, M.D., M.P.H., didn’t expect to go into gynecologic oncology. Today, he not only is a research leader in the field at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, but he also trains future GYN-oncologists.
Dr. Schlumbrecht studies disparities related to gynecologic cancers — especially endometrial cancer, or cancer of the uterine lining. His current research focuses on endometrial cancer disparities for Black women.
In collaboration with Sylvester molecular geneticist Sophia George, Ph.D., and colleagues with the Transatlantic Gynecologic Cancer Research Consortium, he’s studying the genomics and genetics of endometrial cancer in women of African ancestry. He’s also leading a study that assesses how Black women from the U.S., the Caribbean and Haiti interpret post-menopausal bleeding, which is the most common endometrial cancer symptom.
Dr. Schlumbrecht talks about his journey as a physician in the following interview, which has been edited for length and clarity.
Why did you decide to go into medicine and into gynecologic oncology?
When I went to college, I thought I was going to do zoology or environmental science. Once I started taking advanced chemistry, and psychology classes, I saw that medicine was going to be a good fit.
When I started medical school, I thought I was going to do critical care. But we all have to do an OB-GYN rotation. I chose it first, because I thought I wasn’t going to like it. And I think because I had such a change in attitude — I went from expecting to dread it to absolutely loving it — it’s where I decided to go.
I went to an obstetrics-heavy program in Dallas, thinking I may do high-risk maternal fetal medicine. And then I did my oncology rotation. I’d never been exposed to GYN-oncology. The surgeries went many steps beyond what a general OB-GYN does.
We are the only subspecialty in oncology where we actively manage our own patients with chemotherapy after we operate. That feeds the internal medicine part of my brain, and the technical aspect of surgery feeds the other side. The patients are great. The continuity is great. You’re walking that journey with them in a profound way.
How did you become interested in cancer disparities?
Ten years ago, we, as a community, thought we had endometrial cancer figured out. Most of it is related to obesity and diabetes. When I came to Miami, I was seeing over and over again these patients with really aggressive endometrial cancer, predominantly in the Afro-Caribbean populations, the Haitian patients specifically, and in Cuban patients.
It’s fulfilling to see the growth of the trainees abroad and know that we’re delivering educational content that’s changing the face of GYN-oncology, not just in our local community, but in other communities, too.
—Dr. Matthew Schlumbrecht
I partnered with researchers in the Department of Public Health Sciences to pull Florida data to evaluate whether what we were seeing was reflective of what was happening broadly. We demonstrated that there are subpopulations of Hispanic women and Black women who have very high risk.
We classify people in ethnic groups or racial groups, but we’re all individuals, and so many things go into our cancer risk. I started looking at things like where somebody is born, which is relevant for the immigrant population here. With Dr. George, we looked at ancestry in genes to answer the questions, “Can we find things that suggest that somebody may be at higher risk for cancer? What are the outcomes and how are we evaluating patients for survival and response to treatment?” We see substantial variation.
Many things beyond biology go into cancer risk and mitigate outcomes. It’s really important, on a granular level, to assess all of those things.
You’ve won several teaching awards. Why is teaching important to you?
I’m the program director for the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship. The trainees come as junior fellows and then graduate as competent clinicians who’ve got a substantial grasp on what it means to care for women with gynecologic cancers. It’s incredible to see that growth and know that you contributed.
I also oversee two training programs in Nigeria and one in the Bahamas. It’s fulfilling to see the growth of the trainees abroad and know that we’re delivering educational content that’s changing the face of GYN-oncology, not just in our local community, but in other communities, too.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
I love to travel. Since I’ve been at Sylvester, I’ve gone to Central and South America, Europe and Africa multiple times, and I’ve been to Asia for the first time.
In my research, I learn how people come with different experiences. It’s so fulfilling to be able to go out and experience the world that I’m trying to describe when I’m at work.
Tags: cancer research, Dr. Matthew Schlumbrecht, endometrial cancer, gynecological oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, TransAtlantic Gynecologic Cancer Research Consortium