Jennifer L. Gnerlich, MD, FACS, FSSO
Dr. Jennifer L. Gnerlich is a general surgeon and surgical oncologist at Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, South Carolina. Double board-certified in General Surgery and Complex General Surgical Oncology, she specializes in treating challenging cancers including breast cancer, melanoma, and sarcoma, as well as abdominal cancers including malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.[1] Dr. Gnerlich is skilled in cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, a procedure that delivers heated, highly concentrated cancer drugs directly into the abdomen following surgery rather than via the bloodstream as with traditional chemotherapy treatment. She says, “It can really help increase the quantity and quality of life. HIPEC is usually reserved for those who are at a late stage in their disease.”[2]
Dr. Gnerlich is a strong proponent of discussing both the physical impact of cancer and the psychological impact on her patients. She works with a multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists and care professionals to ensure that patients receive the treatment that best matches both their conditions and their personal goals.[1]
Education and Career
Dr. Gnerlich graduated with a degree in biological sciences as a Student Marshal with highest honors from the University of Chicago. She remained in Chicago to pursue her medical degree, which she earned with honors from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. She completed her internship and General Surgery residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri while completing a research fellowship in Cancer Immunology and performing clinical outcomes research. She then completed a Complex General Surgical Oncology fellowship at the University of Chicago Medical Center.[1]
Following completion of her medical education and training, Dr. Gnerlich joined Louisiana State University Healthcare Network’s surgical oncology division as well as LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine as an assistant professor of clinical surgery. She later accepted a role at Inova Schar Cancer Institute before moving on to Lexington Medical Center.
Professional Memberships and Activities
Dr. Gnerlich holds memberships with the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons, and the Association of Women Surgeons.[1]
Research
Dr. Gnerlich’s research interests center on Stage IV disease, breast cancer, and identifying whether applying HIPEC to certain cancers can be used in a more preventive fashion, before it progresses to late-stage disease. She has participated in more than 45 presentations, seminars, and panels, in addition to authoring over 25 publications, commentaries, and book chapters.[1]
Her recent publications include:[3]
Utilization of Neoadjuvant Therapy in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors of the Stomach: Analysis of the 2006-2018 National Cancer Database. Colleen Hamm Kelly, Arkadii Sipok, Jace P Landry, Lolita Ramsey, Cara J Joyce, Jennifer L Gnerlich>; Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 2023 Sep 1
Do rural patients with operable breast cancer fare worse than urban patients in Louisiana? Results of the Louisiana Cancer Consortium. Quyen D. Chu, Mei-Chin Hsieh, Yen Chu, John M. Lyons, Emad Kandil, Ralph L. Corsetti, Robert K. White, Jennifer L. Gnerlich, Xiao-Cheng Wu> ;Surgery. 2020 Jul 1
Increased SOX9 Expression in Premalignant and Malignant Pancreatic Neoplasms. Jennifer L. Gnerlich, Xianzhong Ding, Cara Joyce, Kevin M. Turner, Christopher D Johnson, Haiyan Chen, Gerard Abood, Samuel G Pappas, Gerard V. Aranha>;Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2019 Feb 1
