Cancer & Blood Disorders

Driving transformational research, personalized therapy, family-centered care, and cancer policy in the nation's capital.

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer opens a world of concern and stress for the patient, the family, and friends. At the George Washington University (GW) Cancer Center, there is peace of mind in knowing that the some of the most knowledgeable, respected, and compassionate physicians and medical staff will lead the care plan. But there is more to excellent care than outstanding staff.

The GW Cancer Center is a collaboration of the George Washington University, the GW Hospital and the GW Medical Faculty Associates to expand GW’s efforts in the fight against cancer. The GW Cancer Center also incorporates all existing cancer-related activities at GW, with a vision to create a cancer-free world through groundbreaking research, innovative education and equitable care for all.

Most of the physicians and clinical staff affiliated with the GW Cancer Center are located in The GW Medical Faculty Associates buildings located at 2150 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW and M Streets, NW. They provide a comprehensive and collaborative approach to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

About Us

Our Mission

The GW Cancer Center is committed to driving transformational research, personalized therapy, family-centered care and cancer policy in the Nation’s Capital. Our vision is to become a leading innovator in basic, population, and clinical research and become a premier destination for personalized cancer care. Ultimately, the purpose of the GW Cancer Center is to improve outcomes for all cancer patients. In addition, the GW Cancer Center is dedicated to enhancing patient care through technologically advanced clinical specialties designed to contribute to the healing process. This powerful combination of academic rigor, innovative medicine, and an advanced healing environment offers Washington, D.C. metro area patients an invaluable option for cancer care.

Our Team

The GW Cancer Center staff includes oncology certified physicians who are some of the region’s most renowned experts in interventional radiology, clinical oncology, basic and translational research, and psycho-oncology. We are staffed with nurses, phlebotomists (in our own blood lab), social workers, financial resource workers, patient navigators, and oncology nutritionists. The GW Cancer Center employs a breast and ovarian cancer genetic counselor and an oncology genetic counselor who focuses on colon, prostate, lung, and kidney cancers.

Our Collaborative Approach

The GW Cancer Center is located on the campus of the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the largest institute of higher learning in the U.S. capital and renowned for both its education and research. Working in collaboration across the University and with the GW Hospital, the GW Medical Faculty Associates, Children’s National Medical Center, the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the GW School of Engineering and Applied Science, the GW School of Nursing and the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the GW Cancer Center leverages the exceptional talents and resources offered by these esteemed institutions to further its mission.

Male Fertility and Sexual Health Preservation Clinic

For boys or men who have been diagnosed with cancer, we offer a unique program to help them protect their fertility regardless of the treatment they need to undergo. You can begin cancer treatment with little or no delay, confident that you have taken every step possible to allow the option of future children. Our program also helps cancer survivors maintain their sexual function following treatment.

Specialty Care for Fertility Preservation

Male patients of any age who have received a diagnosis of cancer — from lymphoma to testicular cancer — should consult our male fertility specialists prior to undergoing any treatment or call us on 202-741-2210. Cancer survivorship starts the day you’re diagnosed.

Our specialists provide a quick, but thorough, evaluation. We consider the type of cancer diagnosis you have received along with your proposed course of treatment. Many treatments that target cancer cells have a lethal effect on sperm cells as well, which can affect future fertility.

It is critical to see our specialist prior to starting treatment since patients who have already undergone chemotherapy may not be eligible for fertility preservation. 

Fertility preservation in sexually mature males

In sexually mature males, including boys who are capable of masturbation, we can cryopreserve (freeze) sperm cells for the future.

We also offer a unique microsurgical sperm retrieval procedure called ex vivo microTESE. If a sperm analysis reveals that the sperm is not robust or plentiful enough to support fertility our specialists gather sections of testicular tissue where sperm is produced. Then, using a high-powered microscope, they collect healthy sperm that can be preserved.  

Infertility prevention in sexually mature males

MicroTESE is also an option for men who have undergone cancer treatment and find themselves infertile. We have medicines or drugs to promote fertility in many of these patients. We then use microTESE to identify healthy sperm that can be harvested for use with in vitro fertilization.

Fertility preservation in sexually immature males

In sexually immature boys, we work with a pediatric urologist who uses an experimental protocol to take stem cells and mature them into sperm. This may allow these children to undergo cancer treatment yet still have a chance of being a biological father in their future.

Specialty Care for Sexual Health Preservation

It is not uncommon for men to deal with erectile dysfunction following cancer treatment or urologic procedures. The loss of sexual function can have a damaging effect on a man’s identity and sense of manhood.

Patients who work with us prior to treatment will undergo a complete hormonal evaluation so that we can understand their hormonal baseline. Following treatment, we use hormonal therapies to help men return to their “normal” and maintain or regain sexual function.

For those patients who have not received a pre-treatment examination, we are still able to support sexual health using testosterone replacement and other hormonal support.

Supportive Oncodermatology Clinic

The Department of Dermatology at the George Washington (GW) Medical Faculty Associates, the largest independent physician practice group in the D.C. region with more than 750 providers and 51 clinical specialties, is proud to announce the establishment of the Supportive Oncodermatology Clinic/Program. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SUPPORTIVE ONCODERMATOLOGY CLINIC

Melanoma and Pigmented Lesion Clinic

Cancer of the skin is by far the most common of all cancers with melanoma being the cause of the majority of skin cancer deaths. The incidence of melanoma continues to increase and it has become one of the most common forms of cancer in the United States, especially among young adult women ages 20-39. This year, an estimated 73,000 melanomas will be diagnosed in the U.S. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MELANOMA AND PIGMENTED LESION CLINIC

High Risk Skin Cancer Clinic

The GW Cancer Center's High Risk Skin Cancer Clinic is a part of the Cutaneous Oncology Program. The High Risk Skin Cancer Clinic provides comprehensive care for complex or advanced skin cancers, as well as patients who have an elevated risk for skin cancer development. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HIGH RISK SKIN CANCER CLINIC

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.

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.

Cancer Annual Report

Washington, DC Cancer Statistics

Our Cancer Annual Report provides an overview of the cancer registry data for patients treated at GW Hospital and The GW Medical Faculty Associates in the previous year, detailing trends in cancer care at GW in comparison to national American Cancer Society data.

The report also highlights many of the achievements of the GW Cancer Center's cancer initiatives - focused on community outreach, clinical care, research, and survivorship. In addition, the report lists contact information for GW's many cancer patient resources.

2014 GW Cancer Annual Report

We are pleased to present the 2014 Academic Comprehensive Cancer Program and the Comprehensive Breast Care Program Report for GW’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), GW Hospital, and The GW Medical Faculty Associates (GW MFA). In it, you will find information about our efforts in clinical care, community, research, and survivorship.

Download the PDF

2012 GW Cancer Annual Report

We are pleased to present the 2012 Annual Report of the Cancer Program for the George Washington University. We are proud to have been recognized by the Commission on Cancer for creating a model program for optimal cancer survivorship. In the coming year we will build on our accomplishments as we continue to develop and improve our program.

Download the PDF