George Sawaya, MD
Professor, Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences and Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Director, Cervical Dysplasia Clinic, San Francisco General Hospital
Email: sawayag@obgyn.ucsf.edu
Biosketch:
Dr. Sawaya’s main research program involves all major aspects of cervical cancer screening including the optimal age to begin screening, age to end screening, screening periodicity and screening technologies. His methodological interest is in systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses of various topics in women’s health.
Dr. Sawaya’s initial studies in cervical cancer screening were completed with support from a four-year, NCI-sponsored Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award focused on determining the risks and benefits of cervical cancer screening, specifically in older women. He determined the risk of false positive testing and risk factors for the development of cytological abnormalities in postmenopausal women. He collaborated with investigators at Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research to determine reasons why women in a pre-paid health plan with easy access to cervical cancer screening develop cervical cancer. Under contract with CDC, he completed studies analyzing cervical cancer screening outcomes in over 1 million uninsured women in the United States to determine optimal screening strategies to inform program guidelines; the resulting publication led to cost-effectiveness analyses that had a direct impact on CDC program policies and influenced national guidelines. He expanded his studies to address the optimal age to begin screening by describing the potential effect of screening women under age 20 years on cancer incidence in the US. He recently completed a study involving over 2000 Zimbabwean women to determine the independent effect of latex diaphragm and lubricating gel provision on HPV infection, cytological abnormalities and cervical neoplasia. One study aim is to determine the natural history of HPV infection and the potential role of HPV in HIV seroconversion. He is co-investigator on a large, bi-national project to determine optimal treatment strategies among women with precancerous cervical lesions.
He has demonstrated his commitment to dissemination and implementation of research findings by serving as an invited expert to the CDC and the American Cancer Society. He is a former member of the US Preventive Services Task Force, a government supported panel of experts in prevention. As an internationally recognized expert in cervical cancer prevention, he is frequently asked to serve on grant review committees and write guest editorials for high-profile journals.
At UCSF, he is a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist and serves as the director of the San Francisco General Hospital Colposcopy Clinic, a high-volume inner-city clinic. In 2003, he was elected into the UCSF Academy of Medical Educators. He was the inaugral Director of the UCSF Pathways to Discovery Program in Clinical and Translational Research, a curricular initiative that encompasses all four UCSF Schools and includes students, residents and post-graduate trainees. He currently leads the Training Initiative for the UCSF Center for Healthcare Value.
Areas of Interest:
- Meta-analysis and systematic review
- Cervical cancer screening
- Evidence-based medicine
- Women's health policy
For a complete list of publications, please click here: Publications on PubMed
Updated November 2013
Citations:
- Henderson JT, Harper CC, Gutin S, Saraiya M, Chapman J, Sawaya GF. Routine bimanual pelvic examinations: practices and beliefs of US obstetrician-gynecologists. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2013:208(2):109.e1-7.
- Henderson JT, Sawaya GF, Blum M, Stratton L, Harper CC . Pelvic examinations and access to oral hormonal contraception. Obstet Gynecol. 2010:116(6):1257-64.
- Woo VG, Liegler T, Cohen CR, Sawaya GF, Smith-McCune K, Bukusi EA, Huchko MJ. Association of Cervical Biopsy with HIV Type 1 Genital Shedding Among Women on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. AIDS Research & Human Retroviruses. 2013:7(29):1000-5.