Jayanthi Lea, M.D.

Meet Dr. Lea

Gynecologic Oncologist

Throughout her career, Jayanthi Lea, M.D., has been at the forefront of evaluating and treating gynecologic cancers. Her patients range from young women to senior citizens diagnosed with cervical, uterine, endometrial, ovarian, and other types of cancers of the reproductive system. She brings together all aspects of care – from evaluation and staging of the disease to treatment.

"All women with symptoms or findings suspicious for a gynecologic malignancy should be evaluated by a physician trained in gynecologic oncology. Prognosis and outcome are dependent on timely diagnosis and employment of accurate surgical and other primary forms of treatment."

Based on understanding the complete needs of the patient and the complexities of the cancer, Dr. Lea guides patients through a comprehensive range of treatment alternatives and support services to manage the disease. This includes state-of-the-art surgical care, the latest therapeutic treatments, and support services.

Her expertise includes ovarian cancer debulking surgery, laparoscopic and robotic/minimally invasive surgery, sentinel node biopsies, and fertility-sparing surgery. She also specializes in advancements such as targeted therapies, which are improving survival rates for gynecologic cancers. This includes the development of biologic agents, which offer a customized approach to targeting cancer at the molecular level.

Additionally, her specialties include treating advanced stages of gynecologic cancers. She emphasizes that UT Southwestern Medical Center provides the best option in North Texas for patients with cancers that are typically considered untreatable to gain access to new therapeutic alternatives and clinical trials.

As the Director of the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern, Dr. Lea oversees training for physicians who will be the cancer leaders of tomorrow. She is board certified in gynecologic oncology and obstetrics/gynecology.

Dr. Lea is the Co-Primary Investigator for the National Cancer Institute’s Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) at UT Southwestern and serves on the committees to evaluate cervical cancer treatment protocols and gynecologic cancer prevention. She has been recognized locally and nationally for her work, including being named to the Best Doctors in America list.

Dr. Lea speaks both English and Tamil.