About me
Dr. Claudine Isaacs is a medical oncologist who specializes in the care of women with all stages of breast cancer. She is Professor of Medicine and Oncology, Associate Director of Clinical Research and Leader of the Clinical Breast Cancer Program at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is also the Medical Director of the Jess and Mildred Fisher Center for Hereditary Cancer and Clinical Genomics Research. She has been practicing for over 20 years.
Dr. Isaacs received her medical degree and internal medicine residency training at McGill University, Canada. She completed fellowship training in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at McGill University and a Fellowship in Breast Medical Oncology in the Division of Medical Oncology at Georgetown University. She then joined the faculty in the Department of Medicine and Oncology at Georgetown University.
Dr. Isaacs has extensive experience in the conduct of clinical trials focusing on all aspects of breast cancer. Additional research interests include cancer risk assessment and medical management and prevention strategies for women at high risk for breast cancer. She has served as the principal investigator of a variety of clinical trials in the treatment of early-stage and metastatic breast cancer, and currently serves as the principal investigator of the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium (TBCRC), the ISPY2 trial at Georgetown University. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications. She has also served on a number of committees, including the Cancer Education Committee at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the ASCO Scientific Program Committee, the Breast Oncology Local Diseases Task Force of the Breast Steering Committee of the National Cancer Institute, and most recently the ASCO guidelines committee. She has been named one of America's Top Cancer Doctors by Castle Connolly/Newsweek for many years running, and has also received designations from Washingtonian Magazine and Women's Health Magazine.
Dr. Isaacs' Philosophy of Care:
I strive to personalize the care of my patients by tailoring state-of-the-art therapy to their individual situations and by providing them with access to cutting-edge clinical trials. Equally important is that the care of my patients extends well beyond focusing just on the optimal therapy of their cancer. My approach to care is to relate to each of my patients as individuals in the context of their lives, and not solely based on the characteristics of their disease. To that end, I work with a wonderful and dedicated multidisciplinary group of expert colleagues who are deeply committed to and involved with our patients' care. The whole team is focused solely on breast cancer and includes medical oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, breast imagers, and pathologists who are supported by an experienced team of clinical nurse coordinators, nurse navigators, research nurses, genetic counselors and social workers, all championing a multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery. We are not treating a disease. We are treating a person and we are here to provide state-of-the-art medical treatment and to accompany that person navigates their cancer journey.
Clinical areas of focus
- Breast Cancer
- Carcinoma In Situ Of Breast
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- Her2neu Receptor
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer
- Invasive Breast Cancer
- Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia
- Brca
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer During Pregnancy
- Breast Cancer In Young Women
- Carcinoma In Situ Of Breast
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- Dysplasia Of Breast
- Er Positive Breast Cancer
- Family History Of Breast Cancer
- Her2neu Receptor
- Hereditary Breast And Ovarian Cancer
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer
- Invasive Breast Cancer
- Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS)
- Male Breast Cancer
- Metastatic Axillary Cancer
- Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Microcalcifications
- Paget's Disease Of The Breast
- Postmastectomy Lymphedema Syndrome
- Recurrent Breast Cancer
- Treatment Refractory Breast Cancer
- Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Procedures I perform
- Adjuvant Chemotherapy
- Breast Cancer Chemotherapy
- Breast Cancer Follow Up
- Breast Cancer Genetics
- Chemoradiation
- High Risk Breast Cancer Counseling
- Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
- Radiation Treatment For Breast Cancer
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Road Northwest Lombardi Cancer Center Washington, DC, 20007
202-444-2223Fax 202-444-1229
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- Innovation Health: PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- United Golden Rule
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Carefirst EPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna HMO
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- WellPoint Maryland
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Cigna EPO
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- United Choice
- CareFirst Administrators
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- Medicaid - Maryland
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- Cigna Indemnity
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Tricare for Life East
- Tricare East Prime
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- United Navigate
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- Tricare East Select
- D-SNP)
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Kaiser Signature
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Optimum Choice
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- I-SNP
- CareFirst NASCO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Cigna Network Open Access
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Student Resources
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Kaiser Select
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- Employee Health Plan (EHP)
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- Virginia Premier
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- United Select Plus (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- Beech Street PPO
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- United Choice Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- First Health PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
Fellowship Program: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (1993)
Fellowship Program: McGill University (1992)
Internship/Residency: Montreal General Hospital (1990)
Residency Program: McGill University (1990)
Internship Program: Montreal General Hospital (1988)
Medical School: McGill University (1987)
Awards
- America’s Top Doctors for Women, Women’s Health Magazine
- Marquis Who’s Who in America
- America’s Top Doctors, Castle Connolly
- Newsweek’s Top Cancer Doctors
- Top Doctors Washington DC, Washingtonian Magazine
- Global Directory Top Doctors
- Global Directory of Who’s Who
- Top Doctors Washington DC Area, Northern Virginia Magazine
- Estelle Ramey Mentorship Award, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Liu MC, Shields PG, Warren RD, Cohen P, Wilkinson M, Ottaviano YL, Rao SB, Eng-Wong J, Seillier-Moiseiwitsch F, Noone AM, Isaacs C. Circulating tumor cells: a useful predictor of treatment efficacy in metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2009;27(31):5153-9. PMID 19752342
- Schwartz M, Peshkin B, Hughes C, Main D, Isaacs C, Lerman C. Impact of BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation testing on psychological distress in a clinic-based sample. J Clin Oncol 2002;20:514-520.
- Isaacs C, Peshkin BN, Schwartz M, DeMarco TA, Main D, Lerman C. Breast and ovarian cancer screening practices in healthy women with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Breast Cancer Res and Treat 2002;71:103-112.
- Lehman CD, Isaacs C, Schnall MD, Pisano ED, Ascher SM, Weatherall PT, Bluemke DA, Bowen DJ, Marcom PK, Armstrong DK, et al. Cancer yield of mammography, MR, and US in high-risk women: prospective multi-institution breast cancer screening study. Radiology 2007;244(2):381-8.
- Schwartz MD, Isaacs C, Graves KD, Poggi E, Peshkin BN, Gell C, Finch C, Kelly S, Taylor KL, Perley L. Long-term outcomes of BRCA1/BRCA2 testing: risk reduction and surveillance. Cancer. 2011;118:510-517
- Mandelblatt JS, Faul LA, Luta G, Makgoeng SB, Isaacs C, Taylor K, Sheppard VB, Tallarico M, Barry WT, Cohen HJ. Patient and physician decision styles and breast cancer chemotherapy use in older women: Cancer and Leukemia Group B protocol 369901. J Clin Oncol 2012;(21):2609-14.
- Sheppard VB, Isaacs C, Luta G. Narrowing the racial gaps in breast cancer chemotherapy initiation: the role of the patient-provider relationship. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2013 May;139(1):207-16.
- Potosky, A. L., O'Neill, S. C., Isaacs, C., Tsai, H.-T., Chao, C., Liu, C., Ekezue, B. F., Selvam, N., Kessler, L. G., Zhou, Y. and Schwartz, M. D. Population-based study of the effect of gene expression profiling on adjuvant chemotherapy use in breast cancer patients under the age of 65 years. Cancer. 2015;121(22):4062-70.
- Budd, G. T., Barlow, W. E., Moore, H. C., Hobday, T. J., Stewart, J. A., Isaacs, C., Salim M, Cho J, Rinn K, Albain K, Chew H, Burton G, Moore TD, Srkalovic G, McGregor B, Flaherty L, Livingston R, Lew D, Gralow J, Hortobagyi, G. N. SWOG S0221: A Phase III Trial Comparing Chemotherapy Schedules in High-Risk Early-Stage Breast Cancer. J Clin Oncol, 2015;33(1), 58-64. PMID 25422488
- Park JW, Liu MC, Yee D, Yau C, van 't Veer LJ, Symmans WF, Paoloni M, Perlmutter J, Hylton NM, Hogarth M, DeMichele A, Buxton MB, Chien AJ, Wallace AM, Boughey JC, Haddad TC, Chui SY, Kemmer KA, Kaplan HG, Isaacs C, Nanda R, Tripathy D, Albain KS, Edmiston KK, Elias AD, Northfelt DW, Pusztai L, Moulder SL, Lang JE, Viscusi RK, Euhus DM, Haley BB, Khan QJ, Wood WC, Melisko M, Schwab R, Helsten T, Lyandres J, Davis SE, Hirst GL, Sanil A, Esserman LJ, Berry DA; I-SPY 2 Investigators. Adaptive Randomization of Neratinib in Early Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2016 Jul 7;375(1):11-22. PMID: 27406346
- Zhang X, Chiang HC, Wang Y, Zhang C, Smith S, Zhao X, Nair SJ, Michalek J, Jatoi I, Lautner M, Oliver B, Wang H, Petit A, Soler T, Brunet J, Mateo F, Angel Pujana M, Poggi E, Chaldekas K, Isaacs C, Peshkin BN, Ochoa O, Chedin F, Theoharis C, Sun LZ, Curiel TJ, Elledge R, Jin VX, Hu Y, Li R. Attenuation of RNA polymerase II pausing mitigates BRCA1-associated R-loop accumulation and tumorigenesis. Nat Commun. 2017 Jun 26;8:15908. PMID: 28649985; PMCID: PMC5490191.
- Mandelblatt JS, Small BJ, Luta G, Hurria A, Jim H, McDonald BC, Graham D, Zhou X, Clapp J, Zhai W, Breen E, Carroll JE, Denduluri N, Dilawari A, Extermann M, Isaacs C, Jacobsen PB, Kobayashi LC, Nudelman KH, Root J, Stern RA, Tometich D, Turner R, VanMeter JW, Saykin AJ, and Ahles T. Cancer-Related Cognitive Outcomes Among Older Breast Cancer Survivors in the Thinking and Living With Cancer Study. J Clin Oncol 2018. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.18.00140. PMID 30281396
- Pohlmann PR, Isaacs C. Extended Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women: Treating Many to Benefit a Few. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018 Jan 1;110(1). PMID: 28922782
- Qian F, Wang S, Mitchell J, McGuffog L, Barrowdale D, Leslie G, for CIMBA. Height and Body Mass Index as Modifiers of Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA1/2 Mutation Carriers: A Mendelian Randomization Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018 Oct 12. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djy132. PMID: 30312457
- Heeke AL, Pishvaian MJ, Lynce F, Xiu J, Brody JR, Chen WJ, Baker TM, Marshall JL, Isaacs C. Prevalence of Homologous Recombination-Related Gene Mutations Across Multiple Cancer Types. JCO Precis Oncol. 2018;2018. doi: 10.1200/PO.17.00286. Epub 2018 Jul 23. PMID:30234181
- Wood ME, Garber JE, Isaacs C, Masood S, Bedrosian I, Tung N, Chun J, Schnabel FR, Arun BK; International Society of Cancer Risk Assessment and Management. Genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and the USPSTF recommendations. Breast J. 2019 Jul;25(4):575-577. PMID: 31280501
- Nanda R, Liu MC, Yau C, Shatsky R, Pusztai L, Wallace A, Chien J, Forero-Tores A, Ellis E, Han H, Clark A, Albain K, Boughey JC, Jaskowiak NT, Elias A, Isaacs C, Kemmer K, Helsten T, et al, for the I-SPY 2 Investigators. Effect of Pembrolizumab Plus Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Pathologic Complete Response in Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer: An Analysis of the Ongoing Phase 2 Adaptively Randomized I-SPY2 Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2020;6(5):676-684
- Yee D, DeMichele AM, Yau C, Isaacs C, Symmans WF, Albain KS, et al for ISPY2. Association of Event-Free and Distant Recurrence-Free Survival With Individual-Level Pathologic Complete Response in Neoadjuvant Treatment of Stages 2 and 3 Breast Cancer: Three-Year Follow-up Analysis for the I-SPY2 Adaptively Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2020 Sep 1;6(9):1355-1362. PMID: 32701140; PMCID: PMC7378873.
- Tung NM, Boughey JC, Pierce LJ, Robson ME, Bedrosian I, Dietz JR, Dragun A, Gelpi JB, Hofstatter EW, Isaacs CJ, Jatoi I, Kennedy E, Litton JK, Mayr NA, Qamar RD, Trombetta MG, Harvey BE, Somerfield MR, Zakalik D. Management of Hereditary Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society for Radiation Oncology, and Society of Surgical Oncology Guideline. J Clin Oncol. 2020 Jun 20;38(18):2080-2106. PubMed PMID: 32243226.
- Chandler Y, Jayasekera J, Schechter C, Isaacs C, Cadham C, Mandelblatt J. Simulation of Chemotherapy Effects in Older Breast Cancer Patients With High Recurrence Scores. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2020 Jun 1;112(6):574-581. PMID: 31612208
- Ambrosone CB, Zirpoli GR, Hutson AD, McCann WE, McCann SE, Barlow WE, Kelly KM, Cannioto R, Sucheston-Campbell LE, Hershman DL, Unger JM, Moore HCF, Stewart JA, Isaacs C, Hobday TJ, Salim M, Hortobagyi GN, Gralow JR, Budd GT, Albain KS. Dietary Supplement Use During Chemotherapy and Survival Outcomes of Patients With Breast Cancer Enrolled in a Cooperative Group Clinical Trial (SWOG S0221). J Clin Oncol. 2020 Mar 10;38(8):804-814. PMID: 31855498; PMCID: PMC7062457.
- O'Neill SC, Taylor KL, Clapp J, Jayasekera J, Isaacs C, Mary Atieh Graham D, Goldberg SL, Mandelblatt J. Multilevel Influences on Patient-Oncologist Communication about Genomic Test Results: Oncologist Perspectives.J Health Commun. 2018;23(7):679-686. PMID:30130477
- Chien AJ, Tripathy D, Albain KS, Symmans WF, Rugo HS, Melisko ME, Wallace AM, Schwab R, Helsten T, Forero-Torres A, Stringer-Reasor E, Ellis ED, Kaplan HG, Nanda R, Jaskowiak N, Murthy R, Godellas C, Boughey JC, Elias AD, Haley BB, Kemmer K, Isaacs C, Clark AS, Lang JE, Lu J, Korde L, Edmiston KK, Northfelt DW, Viscusi RK, Yee D, Perlmutter J, Hylton NM, Van't Veer LJ, DeMichele A, Wilson A, Peterson G, Buxton MB, Paoloni M, Clennell J, Berry S, Matthews JB, Steeg K, Singhrao R, Hirst GL, Sanil A, Yau C, Asare SM, Berry DA, Esserman LJ. MK-2206 and Standard Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Improves Response in Patients With Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive and/or Hormone Receptor-Negative Breast Cancers in the I-SPY 2 Trial. J Clin Oncol. 2020 Apr 1;38(10):1059-1069. PMID: 32031889; PMCID: PMC7106976.
- Nanda R, Liu MC, Yau C, Shatsky R, Pusztai L, Wallace A, Chien AJ, Forero-Torres A, Ellis E, Han H, Clark A, Albain K, Boughey JC, Jaskowiak NT, Elias A, Isaacs C, Kemmer K, Helsten T, Majure M, Stringer-Reasor E, Parker C, Lee MC, Haddad T, Cohen RN, Asare S, Wilson A, Hirst GL, Singhrao R, Steeg K, Asare A, Matthews JB, Berry S, Sanil A, Schwab R, Symmans WF, van 't Veer L, Yee D, DeMichele A, Hylton NM, Melisko M, Perlmutter J, Rugo HS, Berry DA, Esserman LJ. Effect of Pembrolizumab Plus Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Pathologic Complete Response in Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer: An Analysis of the Ongoing Phase 2 Adaptively Randomized I-SPY2 Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2020 May 1;6(5):676-684. PMID: 32053137; PMCID: PMC7058271.
- Radovich M, Jiang G, Hancock BA, Chitambar C, Nanda R, Falkson C, Lynce FC, Gallagher C, Isaacs C, Blaya M, Paplomata E, Walling R, Daily K, Mahtani R, Thompson MA, Graham R, Cooper ME, Pavlick DC, Albacker LA, Gregg J, Solzak JP, Chen YH, Bales CL, Cantor E, Shen F, Storniolo AMV, Badve S, Ballinger TJ, Chang CL, Zhong Y, Savran C, Miller KD, Schneider BP. Association of Circulating Tumor DNA and Circulating Tumor Cells After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy With Disease Recurrence in Patients With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Preplanned Secondary Analysis of the BRE12-158 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2020 Sep 1;6(9):1410-1415. PMID: 32644110; PMCID: PMC7349081.