WASHINGTON (Sept. 24, 2019) – Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States, with the American Cancer Society predicting more than 250,000 new cases in 2019. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the George Washington University Cancer Center has experts available to speak on topics such as gene testing for hereditary breast cancer and breast cancer screening, prevention, and treatment.

To interview breast cancer experts in the GW Cancer Center, please contact Ashley Rizzardo at [email protected] or 202-994-8679.

Rachel Brem, MD, director of breast imaging and intervention at the GW Cancer Center and professor of radiology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is available to speak on early detection, breast diagnosis, breast imaging, and trends in breast cancer care and treatment.

Yanfen Hu, PhD, professor of anatomy and cell biology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is available to speak about research on BRCA1-associated breast cancer.

Rebecca Kaltman, MD, director of the Ruth Paul Cancer Genetics and Prevention Service at the GW Cancer Center and assistant professor of medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is available to speak on genetic counseling and risk assessment and personalized treatment for breast cancer patients.

Rong Li, PhD, chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine and Ross Professor of Basic Science Research at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is available to speak about research on BRCA1-associated breast cancer.

Anita McSwain, MD, associate director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program at the GW Cancer Center and assistant professor of surgery at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is available to speak on breast surgery and trends in breast cancer care and treatment.

Mandi Pratt-Chapman, MA, associate center director for patient-centered initiatives and health equity at the GW Cancer Center and adjunct instructor of clinical research and leadership at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is available to speak on breast cancer health disparities, patient-centered care, survivorship, and LGBTQ-specific concerns.

Jocelyn Rapelyea, MD, associate director of breast imaging and intervention at the GW Cancer Center and professor of radiology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, speaks nationally and internationally on breast cancer screening and the new guidelines. She is available for interviews on breast diagnosis, breast imaging, and trends in breast cancer treatment.

Christine Teal, MD, director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program at the GW Cancer Center, chief of breast surgery at GW Hospital, and associate professor of surgery at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is available to speak on breast surgery and trends in breast cancer care and treatment.

Please contact Timothy Pierce at [email protected] or 202-994-5647 to interview Sherrie Wallington, PhD, at the GW School of Nursing:

Sherrie Wallington, PhD, assistant professor of nursing at the GW School of Nursing, is a health disparities researcher specializing in oncology. She is available to speak on breast cancer disparities.