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
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select (aka Senior Advantage)
- Blue Choice Advantage & Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans/ UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans HMO, POS, PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO, GEHA, Compass Rose)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv/Special Needs Plans
- UHC Community Plan of MD
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Medicare Fee for Service
- Kaiser Virginia Premier
- Kaiser PermanenteSelect-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS
- Kaiser MD Medicaid MCO
- CFBCBS Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CFBCBS EPO
- Aetna Innovations: HMO & EPO Plus
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna HMO
- Open POS II
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Open EPO Plus
- Opoen HMO Option
- Open HMO
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CFBSBC Blue Preferred PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- PPO and PPO Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- POS OA & OA Plus
- Network OA
- CIGNA HMO Open Access (OA)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- MedStar Select (MedStar Associates' Plan)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Tricare for Life (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Tricare Prime
- FIRST HEALTH
- First Health PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CFBCBS Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CFBCBS Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CFBCBS BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund) Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
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)