Our facility is fully accredited by the National Accreditation Program
for Breast Centers through the American College of Surgeons. NAPBC-accredited
centers provide access to comprehensive care by a multidisciplinary team,
information about ongoing clinical trials, and new treatment options.
The Breast Care Program at the MWHC Regional Cancer Center (RCC) ensures
that patients receive a lifetime continuum of care, providing everything
from routine exams for ongoing breast health to specialized services if
diagnosed or considered at high risk for breast cancer.
Our Services
Counseling & guidance for high-risk patients
Breast exams and screenings
Surgical procedures
Cancer management
Follow-up care
High Risk Breast Screening Program
Women with certain health factors can be at a higher risk for breast diseases.
Simply being high risk does not mean a woman will develop the disease,
but it does mean she should be screened regularly.
The RCC has developed a screening program especially for women at high
risk for developing breast cancer. Led by the Imaging Center for Women,
fellowship-trained breast imaging specialists and nurses provide an in-depth
medical and family history review, hereditary risk assessment and discuss
no-cost genetic testing. Women who are considered high risk receive individualized
screening recommendations, which may include MRI and genetic counseling.
Any patient who receives a mammogram at a Mary Washington imaging facility
has their overall lifetime risk of breast cancer determined using the
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Gail Model and individual risk factors.
On October 14, 2024, our team of experts from the Mary Washington Healthcare
Regional Cancer Center and Mary Washington General Surgery held a live
event on Facebook about breast cancer, taking questions from the audience.
This is a recording of the event.
Leaders in Breast-Conserving Cancer Treatment
Mary Washington Healthcare, where breast-conserving treatment methods for
breast cancer have been common since 1990, exceeds national averages for
success. Approximately 80% of our breast cancer patients choose breast-conserving
treatment, considerably more than the 62% average recorded in the American
College of Surgeons National Cancer Data Base of 1,500 cancer programs
in the U.S. accredited by the Commission on Cancer.
Because our patients can make informed decisions after being furnished
comprehensive information on the range on breast cancer treatments, fewer
than 2% who choose a breast-conserving method experience a local recurrence
of cancer. Women whose breasts remain intact tend to feel greater satisfaction
with their treatment overall, and national studies have shown survival
rates to be essentially the same after lumpectomy or total mastectomy.
In addition, women in the MWHC Breast Care Program receive continuous
follow-up to maintain their good health.
Expedient, Comprehensive Cancer Care
Our relationships with local imaging centers and the breast cancer navigator
model allow us to quickly begin treatment planning for women diagnosed
with breast cancer. Typically, within days, patients have consulted with
the Breast Care Program Medical Director and Surgeon, Darlene K. Blanchard,
and have treatment scheduled shortly thereafter. Dr. Blanchard is known
for her breast conserving therapies and oncoplastic surgery — restoring
breasts to their most natural appearance with only one surgery and recovery period.
If a woman does receive a diagnosis of breast cancer, we take a multidisciplinary,
highly personalized team approach to eradicating cancerous and noncancerous tumors.
Through weekly cancer conferences, the region’s leaders in cancer
care come together to consult on breast and other cancer cases to determine
an agreed upon course of treatment that’s most suitable for the patient.
PAXMAN Scalp Cooling for Hair Loss
One of the unique services we offer to our breast cancer patients at
Mary Washington Medical Oncology is
PAXMAN scalp cooling, which helps prevent hair loss from chemotherapy. We understand that hair
loss can be a significant concern for many women undergoing chemotherapy,
and we are proud to offer this innovative technology as part of our comprehensive
care plan. Mary Washington Medical Oncology also offers laser therapy
for hair growth at no additional cost.
Breast Cancer Navigator
Our Breast Cancer Navigator always stands ready to provide information,
guidance and support throughout a cancer journey, coordinating care to
expedite physician visits, testing and treatment plans and helping to
maintain peace of mind. Patients are encouraged to call on the Navigator
at any point during their care at no cost for help or access to:
Physical therapy
Cancer rehabilitation
Genetic counseling
Support groups
Nutrition consults
Integrative Medicine & Complementary Therapies
Transportation and financial assistance
Spiritual and emotional support
Education and access to clinical trials
Resources for family members
Survivorship support
Survivorship Support
From the moment you are diagnosed you are a survivor. Every patient who
is diagnosed with cancer has lifetime access to our survivorship program
and benefits including:
Mastectomy & Bra Fitting services
Free Radiation Bras
Wig Room services
Support groups with frequent guest speakers
In addition to these services all RCC offerings will continue to be available to you.
Breast Clinical Research Trials
Clinical research trials are essential for advancing the diagnosis, treatment,
and prevention of breast conditions, including breast cancer. There are
different types of breast clinical trials such as prevention, screening
and diagnostic, treatment, observational and survivorship. Patient eligibility
varies depending on each cancer trial.
Mary Washington Healthcare Research, along with the multidisciplinary team
of oncologists and healthcare professionals, are dedicated to your care
and the advancement of breast health research. By participating in clinical
trials, you contribute to medical innovation while potentially gaining
early access to cutting-edge therapies and possibly shaping the future
of breast health care.
Dr. Ilić is a board-certified surgeon specialized in breast and endocrine
surgery. She is dedicated to the surgical care of breast diseases and
conditions and is hidden scar certified. She earned her medical degree
at the Temple University School of Medicine, followed by a general surgery
residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. She went on to
complete a fellowship in endocrine surgery at Duke University.
Dr. Whittaker is a board-certified and fellowship-trained breast surgeon
specializing in benign and malignant diseases of the breast. Her clinical
interests include oncoplastic and minimally invasive techniques to treat
breast cancer, nipple sparing mastectomy, hidden scar surgery, and aesthetic
flat closure.
Rachel Coggins, DO, focuses on noninterventional rehabilitation medicine
for patients with cancer, strokes, brain injuries, and deconditioning
in need of rehabilitation including mobility and orthotics. She treats
post-mastectomy musculoskeletal conditions, lymphedema management (evaluation
and management, including DME management), prehabilitation and optimization
of function prior, during, and after cancer therapies, cancer-related
fatigue, and cancer-related neuropathic and musculoskeletal conditions.
Tiffany G. Simons, RN, MS, C-ANP
Tiffany G Simons RN, MS, C-ANP received her BS in Nursing and MS with focus
on Adult Nurse Practitioner and minor in Business Administration at the
University of Portland, in Portland, OR. Her areas of interest include
evaluation, diagnosis and management of benign and malignant breast disease
and she has dedicated over 20 years in advanced practice to caring for
women, and men, with breast cancer. She has a special interest in genetics;
high-risk breast surveillance for women with a familial history of breast
cancer; long-term breast cancer surveillance and survivorship. Tiffany
was recently awarded the Excellence in Nursing Practice for Advanced Practice
Nurses in 2021.
Christa Jillard Ilić, MD, FACS
Rachel Coggins, DO
Tiffany G. Simons, RN, MS, C-ANP
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