Ruth Paul Hereditary Cancer Clinic

At the Ruth Paul Hereditary Cancer Clinic, we work with patients who have a personal history of cancer as well as those who are at high risk for developing cancer because of a known genetic mutation and/or a strong family history of cancer. Our role is to help patients understand and manage their risk of cancer by providing hereditary cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling, genetic testing, and preventative care for high risk individuals.

Hereditary cancer risk is a rapidly growing field in medicine. The Ruth Paul Hereditary Cancer Clinic is dedicated to advancing our knowledge of hereditary cancer risk through medical research. Our program has a number of ongoing research studies in which our patients may participate.

Learn more about our clinical services:

Our Services

A highly experienced team of physicians, nurses, social workers and technologists collaborate to ensure your best possible care at the Katzen Cancer Research Center. Dedicated to the detection and treatment of patients with cancer, blood disorders and bone marrow disease, the Katzen Center provides the following services:

Comprehensive management of all oncologic disorders

Outpatient chemotherapy and intravenous antibiotic therapy are offered. Patients with acute oncologic problems, including acute leukemia and complex neoplastic disorders, are treated with specialized cancer treatment protocols.

Clinical coagulation services

Evaluation and treatment of patients with problems such as von Willebrand disease, platelet disorders, and thrombotic disorders.

Hematology services

Hematology services are offered for the management of patients with red cell, white cell or platelet disorders. Hemoglobinopathies, myeloproliferative diseases and myelodysplasia are also treated.

The Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit

The unit performs autologous transplants on patients with leukemia, lymphomas and myelomas.

Learn more about our research:

Research & Education

Attracting outstanding scientists to expand and contribute to current research efforts is a primary goal of the Katzen Cancer Research Center. With state-of-the-art clinical facilities, the center is poised to considerably enhance its research efforts by adding scientists, clinicians and support staff dedicated to the discovery of new cancer therapies.

Each year, the Katzen Center provides the Innovative Pilot Cancer Research Grants Program, an intramural George Washington University research grants program awarding close to $500,000 annually. The grants explore uncharted territory in cancer research, with a goal of making significant improvements in cancer prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, and ultimately lead to a cure.

Katzen Center physicians conduct a wide variety of clinical trials in the areas of cancer treatment and research. A clinical trial is a research study to test how well investigational treatments work in patients. They are the safest and most effective way to examine a treatment for cancer. Participants in a clinical trial have access to up-to-date medical care from our Katzen Center physicians, new treatments and the best available standard of care for their type of cancer.

Areas of Research

• Breast cancer
• Head & Neck cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Lung cancer
• Lymphoma/Leukemia
• Multiple Myeloma
• Myelofibrosis
• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Prostate cancer

For more information about specific grants and research, click here.

Education

With its affiliation to the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Katzen Cancer Research Center has access to physicians who wear multiple hats – as clinicians, researchers and educators. Committed to sharing the latest knowledge and evidence, these faculty members contribute to better cancer care through education. As the research activities of the center expand, educational activities will be designed to ensure that new developments are shared with the entire cancer research community