Dr. Melissa Hardesty
Dr. Hardesty is a board certified gynecologic oncologist and managing partner at Alaska Women’s Cancer Care.
Performing over 300 robotic cases during training and learning from 14 gynecologic oncologists, she has experience in many complex surgical and medical situations. As of 2022 she has performed over 1000 robotic surgeries since completing training. Before completing her fellowship, Dr. Hardesty (formerly Dr. Thrall) worked in rural Arizona close to the Navajo reservation as an OB GYN. She has always been interested in providing medical care to underserved populations, and is privileged to be able to continue to care for the women of Alaska. Dr Hardesty oversees the gynecologic cancer clinical trial program and is the Principal Investigator on many clinical trials available to the gynecologic cancer patients we treat in Alaska. She has academic appointments at the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Washington and the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences and she is actively involved in the education of a future generation of providers on women’s health care. Dr Hardesty has appointments on several editorial review boards and is an active member of a number of committees for the society of gynecologic Oncology. Dr. Hardesty is passionate about providing care to the women of Alaska with gynecologic cancers and complex pelvic disorders and ensuring that these women are treated with the highest standard of care.
Education
Dr. Hardesty earned a degree in Biology (BS, Suma Cum Laude) from the University of Southern California in 1997. She graduated from Albany Medical College in 2001 (MD, A.O.A) and she went on to complete a 4 year residency in OB GYN at Magee Womens’ Hospital/University of Pittsburgh Health Center in 2005. Between 2005-2009 she worked in Page Arizona as an OB GYN serving a small community near the Navajo Reservation. She also served as Medical Director for Canyonlands Community Health Care from 2007-2009. In 2009 she moved to Seattle where she completed her 4 year fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology. She also earned a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Washington in 2011. She is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology (2007) and board certified in Gynecologic Oncology (2015).
Interests
Dr Hardesty is most happy when spending time with her family and children. Dr. Hardesty loves the outdoors and exploring both on foot, in fins and on skis. She takes many photographs and especially enjoys taking photos of nature and scenery above and below the ocean. She is an avid traveler and hopes to see everything one day. She likes to cook for others and spend time with family and friends.
Publications
Hardesty MM, Krivak TC, Wright GS, Hamilton E, Fleming EL, Belotte J, Keeton EK, Wang P, Gupta D, Clements A, Gray HJ, Konecny GE, Moore RG, Richardson DL . OVARIO phase II trial of combination niraparib plus bevacizumab maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy with bevacizumab. Gynecologic Oncology, Available on line June 9, 2022
Burke M, Hardesty M, Downs W. A case of severe encephalitis while on PD-1 immunotherapy for recurrent clear cell ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol Rep 2018 Mar 26, 24:51-53
Urban RR, He H, Alfonso R, Hardesty MM, Goff BA. The end of life costs for Medicare patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol 2018 Feb; 148(2) 336-341.
Fay EE, Norquist B, Jolley J, Hardesty M. Conservative Management of Invasive Placentation: Two Cases with Different Surgical Approaches. AJP Rep. 2016 Apr;6(2):e212-5
Urban RR, He H, Alfonso R, Hardesty MM, Gray HJ, Goff BA. Ovarian cancer outcomes: Article title: The Cost of Initial Care for Medicare Patients With Advanced Ovarian Cancer NCCN 2016 Apr;14(4):429-37.
Urban RR, He H, Alfonso R, Hardesty MM, Gray HJ, Goff BA. Ovarian cancer outcomes: Predictors of early death. Gynecol Oncol 2016 Mar;140(3):474-80.
Lesnock JL, Darcy KM, Tian C, Deloia JA, Thrall MM, Zahn C, Armstrong DK, Birrer MJ, Krivak TC. BRCA1 expression and improved survival in ovarian cancer patients treated with intraperitoneal cisplatin and paclitaxel: a Gynecologic Oncology Group Study. Br J Cancer 2013 Apr 2;108(6):1231-7.
Thrall MM, Greer B, Koh WJ. Cervical Cancer. Decision Support in Medicine. On Line Text. 2012
Thrall MM, Gray H, Symons R, Flum D, Weiss N, Goff B. Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in the Medicare Cohort with Advanced Ovarian Cancer. Gynecol Oncol 2011, Dec;123:461-466.
Thrall MM, Goff BA, Symons RG, Flum DR, Gray HJ. 30-Day Mortality Following Primary Cytoreductive Surgery for Advanced Ovarian Cancer in the Elderly. Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Sep;118(3):537-47.
Thrall MM, Paley P, Pizer E, Garcia R, Goff B. Patterns of Spread and Recurrence of Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors of the Ovary. Gynecol Oncol 2011 Aug;122(2):242-5.
Mahdi H, Thrall M, Agoff N, Doherty M. Pagetiod Adenocarcinoma in Situ of the Cervix with Pagetoid Spread into the Vagina. Obstetrics and Gynecology 2011 Aug;118(2pt2): 461-3.
Thrall MM, Flum D, Symons R, Weiss N, Gray H, Goff B. Trends in Treatment of Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in the Medicare Population. Gynecol Oncol 2011 Jul;122(1):100-6.
Mahdi H, Thrall M, Kumar S, Hanna R, Seward S, Lockhart D, Morris RT, Swensen R, Munkarah AR: The prognostic impact of the ratio of positive lymph nodes on survival of epithelial ovarian cancer patients. J Surg Oncol 2011 Jun 1;103(7):724-9.
Thrall MM, DeLoia JA, Gallion H, Avril N: Clinical use of combined positron emission tomography and computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in recurrent ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2007 Apr;105(1):17-22.
Thrall M, Gallion HH, Hryscio , Kapali M, Armstrong DK, DeLoia JA: BRCA1 expression in a large series of sporadic ovarian carcinomas: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2006 Jan-Feb;16 Suppl 1:166-71.
Avril N, Sassen S, Thrall M, Gallion H: PET in Gynecologic Tumors. In Ell P, Gambhir (eds): Nuclear Medicine in Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment 3rd Edition, 2004:Vol I Ch22;293-304.
Bernstein H, Thrall M, Clark W. Conservative management of an intramural ectopic pregnancy. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2001;97(5pt2);826-827
Thrall M, Wood P, King V, Rivera W, Hrushesky W. Investigation of the comparative toxicity of 5-FU bolus versus 5-FU continuous infusion circadian chemotherapy with concurrent radiation therapy in locally advanced rectal cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology and Physics. 2000;46(4):873-881.
