Gligor Tofoski

Full Citation: Tofoski G, Dimitrov G, Dzikova E, et al. Oncologic and pregnancy outcomes of fertility-sparing treatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate in women with premalignant and malignant endometrial lesions: A case series. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2025;51(4):109570.

Scientific work in medicine should be an instinct to try, learn, document and transfer knowledge to others and bring all the cases internationally so we can make a strong evidence-based recommendations which will make our work easier and help patients.

Gligor Tofoski, MD, MSc, PhD, is a full professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics and has been employed at the University Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 1998. 

After graduating from medical school in 1996 with the highest grades, Gligor Tofoski became a specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics in 2003. He obtained his master’s degree in 2008 and completed his PhD in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2015. He has served as an Associate Professor since 2015 and was appointed Full Professor in 2025.

Professor Tofoski is the President of the Macedonian Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians and actively collaborates with international organizations including UNFPA, WHO and UNICEF. He has also participated in COST projects, contributing to regional and international scientific cooperation. Alongside his clinical and academic work, he is deeply involved in medical education and public health initiatives.

Advancing Fertility-Preserving Care in Gynecologic Oncology

The research focuses on fertility preservation in women diagnosed with premalignant and malignant endometrial lesions, a growing clinical challenge in modern gynecology. As more women postpone childbearing and carcinomatous processes are increasingly diagnosed at younger ages, preserving reproductive potential has become an essential part of patient-centered oncologic care.

In this prospective case series, women were followed over an eight-year period while receiving high-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate as a conservative, fertility-sparing treatment. The study evaluated both oncologic safety and reproductive outcomes, offering valuable long-term data on the feasibility of this approach. The results demonstrate that, under careful supervision by experienced clinicians and strict adherence to evidence-based protocols, selected patients can be offered conservative treatment while maintaining acceptable oncologic outcomes and the possibility of future pregnancy.

This work underscores that young women diagnosed during infertility evaluation or at an early stage of disease deserve the opportunity to pursue motherhood. It highlights the importance of individualized treatment planning, multidisciplinary decision-making and long-term follow-up. By documenting outcomes over an extended period, the study contributes meaningful evidence to support fertility-sparing strategies in gynecologic oncology and helps guide clinicians facing complex therapeutic decisions.

Medicine Shaped by Empathy, Education and Scientific Responsibility

For Professor Tofoski, medicine is a demanding but deeply rewarding profession built on three essential pillars. The first is empathy – the human connection in medicine that can be healing in itself. The second is education, through teaching young colleagues, students and the wider community, helping to promote disease prevention and health awareness. The third is scientific work, which he sees as an instinctive responsibility to observe, document, learn and share knowledge internationally in order to strengthen evidence-based practice and ultimately improve patient care.

His scientific path was strongly influenced by early mentorship, particularly by Professor Kostadina Korneti-Pekevska, who recognized his inclination toward research and guided him into structured scientific work. What followed was years of dedication, time invested in research and collaboration with fellow scientists – many of whom he describes as energetic, inspiring and intellectually engaging individuals.

Outside of his professional life, Professor Tofoski enjoys watching sports, taking walks with friends, reading and watching television programs focused on philosophy, history and nature. Traveling and experiencing new cultures are also important sources of inspiration and perspective.

Being selected as a finalist for the International Medis Awards represents recognition of the collective effort of researchers in the region to promote science and scientific publishing as drivers of societal development. For Professor Tofoski, this acknowledgment carries particular significance as a message to younger doctors that dedicating part of one’s life to science, education and human progress is both valued and essential.