The Inova Saville Cancer Screening and Prevention Center opened last week in Fairfax, making it the first-of-its-kind care facility in the DMV region. The center is located in the Inova Schar Cancer Institute’s flagship facility at 8081 Innovation Park Dr. and will serve people at average and high risk of cancer.
The center was conceived by Dr. John Deeken, president of the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, and Dr. Rebecca Kaltman, executive director of the new Inova Saville Center.
In its approach to screening and prevention services, the center will use a care model of lifestyle mentoring and intervention. More than 40 percent of cancer cases in the United States are attributed to preventable risk factors, like smoking, according to the American Cancer Society.
The facility will offer specialty screening clinics for: high-risk breast cancer; lung cancer; high-risk pancreatic cancer; prostate cancer; thyroid cancer; genetic syndromes; gastrointestinal cancer; head and neck cancer; melanoma and skin cancer; and gynecological cancer.
For people who are at average risk, services are available to learn about modifying their lifestyle to reduce their risk of developing cancer.
“While most people know that early detection saves lives, not everyone knows where to start or has access to quality care,” says Kaltman.
She says the center, in addition to greater access to routine cancer screenings, will provide “a comprehensive approach to minimizing cancer risk through techniques including biometric assessments, genetic testing and novel, minimally invasive tools to improve early detection.”
Deeken notes that more than 9 million people skipped a routine cancer screening during the pandemic — and delayed screenings and treatment can have a significant impact on a person’s health, particularly when it comes to a cancer diagnosis.
“We hope that by providing our neighbors with accessible, multidisciplinary screening and prevention services and a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach, we will help our community get back on track with their health and cure more cancers through early detection and intervention,” says Deeken.
Together, Deeken and Kaltman will lead a team of specialists, surgeons, genetic counselors, and nurses inform patients of the importance of cancer screening and early detection, as well as guide them on their cancer journey. The center will also offer cutting-edge technology and research.
The center comes after a $20 million donation from Paul and Linda Saville. Paul is the former president and CEO of NVR, a home construction company.
“When Linda and I learned about the vision to build a comprehensive cancer screening and prevention program and how our investment could help bring this life-saving vision to our community, we were inspired to lead this effort,” he says. “We know the Inova Saville Center will serve as a model for best practices in cancer prevention on a regional and national level.”
The center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Patients do not need a physician referral to receive services.
Feature image of the Inova Saville Cancer Prevention Center (Courtesy Inova)
