About me
About the Provider
Christopher Gallagher, MD, is Medical Director of Cancer Services of the Washington Cancer Institute and teaching attending physician at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Prior to joining the Hospital Center, Dr. Gallagher served as Chief of Hematology-Oncology Service for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, was the Fellowship Program Director for the National Capital Consortium Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program, and the Deputy Director of the John P. Murtha Cancer Center at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
As an expert in breast medical oncology, Dr. Gallagher specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer through the use of hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. His clinical interests include the treatment of advanced or metastatic disease through the use of novel therapeutic treatments.
Dr. Gallagher received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine, where he graduated with honors and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society. He then joined the Walter Reed Army Medical Center where he completed a residency in internal medicine, and a fellowship in hematology/oncology.
The Washington Cancer Institute offers a comprehensive portfolio of clinical trials that provides novel therapeutic medications for individuals diagnosed with early stage and advanced breast cancer. Dr. Gallagher's research interests include investigating and understanding disparities in outcomes. He is especially interested in enrolling minority groups, such as African-Americans and Latinos, in research trials that are often excluded from larger clinical trials.
Dr. Gallagher is an advocate for the advancement of immunotherapy, or the use of the patient's own immune system in order to treat breast cancer, as well as targeted therapy derived from the genetic sequencing of breast tumors in order to detect abnormalities that may indicate a response from a specific drug. He is widely published and has been invited to speak nationally on numerous occasions regarding his research within the breast cancer field.
Philosophy of Care
"Conversation is the foundation of my practice. My role as a breast medical oncologist is to educate my patients and their family members on the available treatment options for their specific type of breast cancer. I take the time to listen to my patients, to answer their questions, and to address their concerns. By educating my patients, I involve them in their care and empower them in making informed decisions. It is important to me that my patients understand their disease, their treatment, and the big picture of their diagnosis."
"I advocate for my patients. Each day, I take the time to appreciate my mission - taking care of women with breast cancer."
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
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer During Pregnancy
- Cancer
- Cancer During Pregnancy
- Cancer Pain
- Cancer Survivor
- Carcinoma In Situ Of Breast
- Cystosarcoma Phyllodes
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- Endocrine Complications Of Cancer Therapy
- Her2neu Receptor
- Hereditary Cancer Risk
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer
- Invasive Breast Cancer
- Liver Metastases
- Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS)
- Lung Metastasis
- Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Oral Complications Of Cancer
- Pulmonary Metastases
- Side Effects Of Cancer Treatment
- Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Procedures I perform
- Adjuvant Chemotherapy
- Biological Targeted Therapy
- Breast Cancer Chemotherapy
- Breast Cancer Follow Up
- Breast Cancer Genetics
- Breast Cancer Immunotherapy
- Cancer Chemotherapy
- Cancer Genomics
- Cancer Immunotherapy
- Chemoradiation
- Early Detection Of Cancer
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
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
- United Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- United Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- United Navigate
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- Tricare East Prime
- United Choice Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Virginia Premier
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- Cigna Indemnity
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Kaiser Signature
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Student Resources
- Cigna EPO
- Kaiser Select
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- Innovation Health: POS
- D-SNP)
- Aetna HMO
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- I-SNP
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Carefirst EPO
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- United Golden Rule
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- United Optimum Choice
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Cigna Network Open Access
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- Medicaid - Maryland
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- Tricare for Life East
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Tricare East Select
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- First Health PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship Program: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (2004)
Residency Program: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (2001)
Residency Program: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (1997)
Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine (1994)