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Lori Cory, MD, MSCE
Fellowship-Trained Gynecologic Oncologist
Dr. Cory specializes in the evaluation and treatment of gynecologic malignancies, including uterine, ovarian, vulvar and vaginal cancers, and complex and benign gynecologic conditions requiring surgery. She is a skilled surgeon with extensive training in minimally invasive and robotic surgery.
Dr. Cory received her medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of Pennsylvania where she also earned her MSCE at the Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
She has a special interest in improving the delivery of health care through quality improvement initiatives. Her areas of research interest include the role of educational interventions in increasing HPV vaccine acceptability and quality improvement initiatives, such as identifying risk factors and interventions to decrease postoperative readmissions and infection.
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Robert L. Giuntoli, II, MD
Fellowship-Trained Gynecologic Oncologist, Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. Giuntoli specializes in the evaluation and treatment of women with gynecologic cancer and complex and benign gynecologic conditions requiring surgery. He is an experienced surgeon and skilled in minimally invasive and robotic surgery.
Dr. Giuntoli received a medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University Medical Center. He completed a fellowship in breast health at Brown University School o Medicine and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the Mayo Clinic. He is board certified in Gynecologic Oncology.
Dr. Giuntoli works with a team of medical oncologists and radiation oncologists at Chester County Hospital. He also works closely with genetic counselors and geneticists to provide genetic screening for individuals with a family and/or personal history of cancer.
He is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and American College of Surgeons. In 2018, he was elected to Penn Medicine's Academy of Master Clinicians, the highest clinical honor for a Penn Medicine physician.
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What drew you to gynecologic oncology?
DR. CORY: As I rotated through the subspecialties during my obstetrics and gynecology residency, gynecologic oncology was the first one where I realized I couldn't wait to get to work. And I was always staying late to talk with my patients. I love to operate, but I value the longitudinal relationships with my patients even more. So, gynecologic oncology was the perfect combination of medicine, surgery and patient interaction.
DR. GIUNTOLI: Medical school was an eye-opening experience for me. Early on, I naturally gravitated toward oncology and surgery. Once I got into obstetrics and gynecology, I narrowed my focus to oncology because it allowed me to be a surgeon while maintaining a long-term commitment to many of my patients. I also appreciated that our patients were truly in need, and we, as physicians, could improve their condition. Not always cure them, but at least make their quality of life better.
Is there a patient who resonates with you?
DR. CORY: Yes. During my residency, there was a woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She came to us initially looking for help with meeting the eligibility requirements for a clinical trial. That meant increasing her nutritional and functional status. Not long after we admitted her, the nature of our conversations changed and so did her goals. We went from focusing on her treatment to making sure she was comfortable. Being involved in her care exposed me, for the first time, to the full spectrum of a patient's experience in this field. It's an incredible privilege to take care of a woman at the end of her life, to make her comfortable and ensure she's able to express everything she needs to share with those closest to her.
DR. GIUNTOLI: I have a patient I've taken care of for more than 15 years. I recently operated on her. She has a slow-growing tumor, which has allowed her to live this long. But we also haven't been able to eradicate it. We've been able to take steps along the way that have positioned her to do well despite her disease process. It's a complicated situation, and her care has truly been a team effort. Because we’ve been thoughtful about it, she's done better than she otherwise would have. She's earned an MBA and a Ph.D. To boot, she's a wonderful person. I'm privileged to have had an impact on her life.
What parts of your tenure here so far have you embraced the most?
DR. CORY: It's the family culture. What's particularly special about our team is that every person will go out of their way to make sure our patients are as comfortable as they can be, whether that means staying late to be with them or talking to them on the phone over the weekend. A cancer diagnosis is one of the most difficult challenges a person will face. So we try to make sure that their treatment and follow-up are as smooth and stress-free as possible.
DR. GIUNTOLI: Everyone around the hospital is so friendly. They're also focused on a common goal: doing what we can to help every patient. This combination allows us to be innovative while maintaining personal connections with our patients. And I think that's a tremendous advantage for patients.
What do you consider to be the most challenging aspects of your work?
DR. CORY: Maintaining a proper work-life balance is always a challenge. I'd also say having end-of-life conversations. I think we all experience at least a little fear about our mortality – I know I do – and these women are being faced with it sooner than most. These conversations can be difficult to have, but I want to make sure they have the chance to discuss their goals for the end of their life openly and honestly. It can make a huge difference in their experience.
DR. GIUNTOLI: The work-life balance. In general, being a physician is a big commitment. I'm always juggling patient care, research, and my family. We have three daughters, ages 16, 14, 8, who deserve the full attention of their dad.
How about the most rewarding part?
DR. CORY: The relationships I'm able to develop with my patients. Many of these women are putting their life in my hands when I operate on them. I want to make sure I respect their trust and their experience.
DR. GIUNTOLI: Making a difference in people's lives. Knowing our efforts created a better outcome for someone. And it really is our efforts. Without Dr. Cory and our team of nurses and support staff, I couldn't do what I do.
How conscious are you of your bedside manner?
DR. CORY: Very, and I try to be really open. I think the most important thing is to not take the same approach with everyone. Each patient has her own unique set of physical, emotional, and socio-economic needs. There are guidelines and protocols, of course, but there's no one right answer for every patient. It's my responsibility to talk about all of their options and then listen and understand what's right for them so we can make a plan together. I very much believe in a team approach where the patient is the most important member.
DR. GIUNTOLI: Medicine is science, but it's not only science. Part of it isn't knowledge-based, but rather to impart knowledge in an acceptable form. An even bigger part is being emotionally supportive of the patient and understanding how much they need or want to know and what level of emotional support is appropriate. Everyone has different needs and wants. Also, as an oncologist, I realize the gravity of most interactions with my patients, but I try to add some lightheartedness where I can. It's important, I think, to let our patients know we're human.
What's the most valuable thing you've learned during your career so far?
DR. CORY: To be kind. I've grown to appreciate that you can never really know what a person is going through. As busy as we all are, it's very easy to lose sight of that. But I've found that simply taking a few extra minutes to be kind to someone, whether it's a patient or a coworker, goes a long way toward building strong, meaningful relationships.
DR. GIUNTOLI: I work with an amazing nurse and nurse practitioner. I've learned a lot from both of them over the last seven years, including that patients have autonomy. I may want to treat everyone as I would my family, but not everyone wants that. I think I'm more sensitive to those wishes now. I still need to make sure I'm appropriately informing them of their treatment options and the risk benefits of those options, but, ultimately, it's about meeting the patient where they are.
What’s something that you can do today that wasn’t possible, or was significantly more difficult to do, only 10 years ago?
DR. CORY: Prevent cancer. One of the innovations I'm most excited about is a new vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar and penile cancers. This vaccine prevents nine different strains of HPV, so it has the potential to have a huge impact on our society. I love my job and taking care of my patients, but if I can help prevent cancer from occurring in the first place, I want to do that.
DR. GIUNTOLI: Robotic surgery is enabling us to do minimally invasive surgeries that I could not have conceived as a fellow, 20 years ago. As a junior faculty member, I was involved in its introduction, and the learning curve was steep. But once we developed techniques around the technology, it's been a revolution. Biological agents also have enhanced our ability to treat certain cancers, including ovarian cancer. It's remarkable to see those advances move from the lab to patient care.
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