This Fox Chase professor participates in the Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship.
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Mary B. Daly, MD, PhD, FACP

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- About
- Education and Training
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- Research Profile
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Clinical Locations
Primary Location
Fox Chase Cancer Center
333 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111
Professor, Department of Clinical Genetics
Former Chair, Department of Clinical Genetics
Director, Risk Assessment Program
Timothy R. Talbot Jr. Chair in Cancer Research
NCCN, Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Panel Member
NCCN, Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Panel Member
NCCN, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian Panel Member
Treatment Focus
Clinical Genetics; breast cancer; Risk Assessment; chemoprevention research; family risk assessment and genetic testing; epidemiology; gynecologic cancers
Research Program
Key Awards

Medical Oncology
Treatment Philosophy
I consider it an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to accompany my patients on their cancer journey. I am allowed to witness their strength and courage, to be exposed to the devotion of their families and friends, and to become part of their lives in a very special way.
By extending this care to family members through the risk assessment program, we can work together towards the reduction of risk and prevention of cancer. I like to approach every patient encounter as a mutual learning experience. It is an opportunity for me to share with each patient the latest information about their cancer and treatment or their cancer risk, and give them the tools they need to make informed decisions.
It is also an opportunity for them to teach me something about themselves, about their lives and families, and how they cope with illness and promote their own health. I always feel both drained and enriched after a day in clinic.
Educational Background
- Fellow, Oncology, University of Texas Health Center, Austin, TX
- Resident, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Center, Austin, TX
- MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1978
- PhD, Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1973
- MSPH, Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1971
- BA, Biology, College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY, 1965
Certifications
- Board Certified in Medical Oncology
- Board Certified in Internal Medicine
- Pennsylvania Medical License
- New Jersey Medical License
- Texas Medical License
Memberships
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
- Breast Cancer Risk Reducation Panel
- Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Panel
- Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian Panel
- JNCCN Editorial Board
- International Gynecologic Cancer Society
- American Society of Clinical Oncology
- American Association for Cancer Research
- American Society for Preventive Oncology
- American Public Health Association
Honors & Awards
- Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors, 2009-19
- America’s Top Doctors®, 2015-2017
- Susan G. Komen Light of Life Award, 2014
- Women of Distinction Award, Philadelphia Business Journal, 2011
- Cancer Control Award, American Cancer Society, 1996, 2004
Research Program
Research Interests
- Risk Assessment Program Registry
- Philadelphia Breast Cancer Family Registry
- Improving the Estimation and Communication of Ovarian Cancer Risk among BRCA1/2 and Lynch Syndrome Carriers to Optimize Decision Making
- Translation of Genomics into Improvements in Cancer Prevention and Treatment
- COGENT (Communicating Genetic Test Results by Telephone)
- LEGACY (A cohort of youth in families from the Breast Cancer Family Registry)
- Return of Genetic Research: Ethical Issues
The Risk Assessment Program at Fox Chase looks at your personal and possible inherited genetic factors that may put you at higher possibility for getting cancer. We comprehensively examine your profile for all cancer types, including — but not limited to — breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, prostate cancer, and melanoma. Knowing your risk helps you learn what you can do to lower your chances of getting cancer.
The Department of Clinical Genetics is built on the success of Fox Chase's Margaret Dyson Family Risk Assessment Program (now Risk Assessment Program), which Dr. Mary Daly began in 1991. A high-risk screening clinic was developed for individuals with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. In addition to the clinic, genetic counseling was provided for both high risk and breast and ovarian cancer patients. As the clinic developed, it became clear that it was important to provide consultations for biopsy findings that put women at increased risk. Since then, Fox Chase has expanded risk assessment services to those at high risk for all cancers.

Michael Hall, MD, MS
Chair, Department of Clinical Genetics

Elias Obeid, MD, MPH
Breast, Ovarian, Prostate Risk Assessment

Kristen D. Whitaker, MD, MS
Breast, Ovarian

Catherine Neumann, MS, LCGC
Cancer Genetic Counselor

Susan Montgomery, RN, BSN, OCN
Clinical Genetics Nurse Navigator

Kim Rainey, MS, MEd, LCGC
Cancer Genetic Counselor

Michelle McSweeny, MS, LCGC
Cancer Genetic Counselor

Hannah Campbell, ScM, LCGC
Cancer Genetic Counselor
Lisa Bealin, BS
Project Manager
Yana Chertock, MA
Project Manager
Nicole Ventriglia
Research Study Assistant
Selected Publications
Pal T, Agnese D, Daly M, La Spada A, Litton J, Wick M, Klugman S, Esplin ED, Jarvik GP, Professional Practice G. Points to consider: is there evidence to support BRCA1/2 and other inherited breast cancer genetic testing for all breast cancer patients? A statement of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). Genetics in Medicine, 22(4):681-5, 2020.
Houghton LC, Knight JA, Wei Y, Romeo RD, Goldberg M, Andrulis IL, Bradbury AR, Buys SS, Daly MB, John EM, Chung WK, Santella RM, Stanczyk FZ, Terry MB. “Association of Prepubertal and Adolescent Androgen Concentrations With Timing of Breast Development and Family History of Breast Cancer”. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Feb 1;2(2):e190083. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0083. PMID: 30794303
Terry MB, Daly MB, Phillips KA, Ma X, Zeinomar N, Leoce N, Dite GS, MacInnis RJ, Chung WK, Knight JA, Southey MC, Milne RL, Goldgar D, Giles GG, Weideman PC, Glendon G; kConFab Investigators, Buchsbaum R, Andrulis IL, John EM, Buys SS, Hopper JL. “Risk-Reducing Oophorectomy and Breast Cancer Risk Across the Spectrum of Familial Risk”.J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018 Nov 28. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djy182. [Epub ahead of print] PMID:30496449
Nicolas E, Demidova EV, Iqbal W, Serebriiskii IG, Vlasenkova R, Ghatalia P, Zhou Y, Rainey K, Forman AF, Dunbrack RL Jr, Golemis EA, Hall MJ, Daly MB, Arora S. Interaction of germline variants in a family with a history of early-onset clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2019 Mar;7(3):e556. doi: 10.1002/mgg3.556. Epub 2019 Jan 24. PMID: 30680959; PMCID: PMC6418363.
Frost CJ, Andrulis IL, Buys SS, Hopper JL, John EM, Terry MB, Bradbury A, Chung WK, Colbath K, Quintana N, Gamarra E, Egleston B, Galpern N, Bealin L, Glendon G, Patrick Miller L, Daly MB. “Assessing Patient Readiness for Personalized Genomic Medicine”. Journal of Community Genetics, 10 (1), 109-120. Received: 26 June 2017 /Accepted: 18 April 2018 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12687-018-0365-5 EPUB ahead of print 5.29.18
Wolf SM, Scholtes E, Koenig BA, Petersen GM, Berry SA, Beskow LM, Daly MB, Fernandez CV, Green RC, LeRoy BS, Lindor NM, O'Rourke PP, Breitkopf CR, Rothstein MA, Van Ness B, Wilfond BS. “Pragmatic Tools for Sharing Genomic Research Results with the Relatives of Living and Deceased Research Participants”. J Law Med Ethics. 2018 Mar;46(1):87-109. doi: 10.1177/1073110518766024. Epub 2018 Mar 27. No abstract available.
Buys, S.S., Sandbach, J.F., Gammon, A., Patel, G., Kidd, J., Brown, K.L., Sharma, L., Saam, J., Lancaster, J., Daly, M.B. “A Study of Over 35,000 Women with Breast Cancer Tested with a 25-gene Panel of Hereditary Cancer Genes,” Cancer 2017 May 15; 123(10): 1721-1730. doi: 10l1002/cncr.30498.
Daly, M.B., Montgomery, S., Bingler, R., Ruth, K. “Communicating Genetic Test Results within the Family: Is it Lost in Translation: A Survey of Relatives in the Randomized Six-Step Study,” Familial Cancer 2016;15(4):697-706. (PMCID: PMC5010833).
Additional Publications

Clinical Locations
Primary Location
Fox Chase Cancer Center
333 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111
Professor, Department of Clinical Genetics
Former Chair, Department of Clinical Genetics
Director, Risk Assessment Program
Timothy R. Talbot Jr. Chair in Cancer Research
NCCN, Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Panel Member
NCCN, Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Panel Member
NCCN, Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian Panel Member
Treatment Focus
Clinical Genetics; breast cancer; Risk Assessment; chemoprevention research; family risk assessment and genetic testing; epidemiology; gynecologic cancers
Research Program
Key Awards

Medical Oncology
Treatment Philosophy
I consider it an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to accompany my patients on their cancer journey. I am allowed to witness their strength and courage, to be exposed to the devotion of their families and friends, and to become part of their lives in a very special way.
By extending this care to family members through the risk assessment program, we can work together towards the reduction of risk and prevention of cancer. I like to approach every patient encounter as a mutual learning experience. It is an opportunity for me to share with each patient the latest information about their cancer and treatment or their cancer risk, and give them the tools they need to make informed decisions.
It is also an opportunity for them to teach me something about themselves, about their lives and families, and how they cope with illness and promote their own health. I always feel both drained and enriched after a day in clinic.
Education
Educational Background
- Fellow, Oncology, University of Texas Health Center, Austin, TX
- Resident, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Center, Austin, TX
- MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1978
- PhD, Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1973
- MSPH, Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1971
- BA, Biology, College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY, 1965
Certifications
- Board Certified in Medical Oncology
- Board Certified in Internal Medicine
- Pennsylvania Medical License
- New Jersey Medical License
- Texas Medical License
Memberships
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
- Breast Cancer Risk Reducation Panel
- Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Panel
- Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian Panel
- JNCCN Editorial Board
- International Gynecologic Cancer Society
- American Society of Clinical Oncology
- American Association for Cancer Research
- American Society for Preventive Oncology
- American Public Health Association
Honors & Awards
- Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors, 2009-19
- America’s Top Doctors®, 2015-2017
- Susan G. Komen Light of Life Award, 2014
- Women of Distinction Award, Philadelphia Business Journal, 2011
- Cancer Control Award, American Cancer Society, 1996, 2004
Research Profile
Research Interests
- Risk Assessment Program Registry
- Philadelphia Breast Cancer Family Registry
- Improving the Estimation and Communication of Ovarian Cancer Risk among BRCA1/2 and Lynch Syndrome Carriers to Optimize Decision Making
- Translation of Genomics into Improvements in Cancer Prevention and Treatment
- COGENT (Communicating Genetic Test Results by Telephone)
- LEGACY (A cohort of youth in families from the Breast Cancer Family Registry)
- Return of Genetic Research: Ethical Issues
The Risk Assessment Program at Fox Chase looks at your personal and possible inherited genetic factors that may put you at higher possibility for getting cancer. We comprehensively examine your profile for all cancer types, including — but not limited to — breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, prostate cancer, and melanoma. Knowing your risk helps you learn what you can do to lower your chances of getting cancer.
The Department of Clinical Genetics is built on the success of Fox Chase's Margaret Dyson Family Risk Assessment Program (now Risk Assessment Program), which Dr. Mary Daly began in 1991. A high-risk screening clinic was developed for individuals with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. In addition to the clinic, genetic counseling was provided for both high risk and breast and ovarian cancer patients. As the clinic developed, it became clear that it was important to provide consultations for biopsy findings that put women at increased risk. Since then, Fox Chase has expanded risk assessment services to those at high risk for all cancers.
Lab Staff

Michael Hall, MD, MS
Chair, Department of Clinical Genetics

Elias Obeid, MD, MPH
Breast, Ovarian, Prostate Risk Assessment

Kristen D. Whitaker, MD, MS
Breast, Ovarian

Catherine Neumann, MS, LCGC
Cancer Genetic Counselor

Susan Montgomery, RN, BSN, OCN
Clinical Genetics Nurse Navigator

Kim Rainey, MS, MEd, LCGC
Cancer Genetic Counselor

Michelle McSweeny, MS, LCGC
Cancer Genetic Counselor

Hannah Campbell, ScM, LCGC
Cancer Genetic Counselor
Lisa Bealin, BS
Project Manager
Yana Chertock, MA
Project Manager
Nicole Ventriglia
Research Study Assistant
Publications
Selected Publications
Pal T, Agnese D, Daly M, La Spada A, Litton J, Wick M, Klugman S, Esplin ED, Jarvik GP, Professional Practice G. Points to consider: is there evidence to support BRCA1/2 and other inherited breast cancer genetic testing for all breast cancer patients? A statement of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). Genetics in Medicine, 22(4):681-5, 2020.
Houghton LC, Knight JA, Wei Y, Romeo RD, Goldberg M, Andrulis IL, Bradbury AR, Buys SS, Daly MB, John EM, Chung WK, Santella RM, Stanczyk FZ, Terry MB. “Association of Prepubertal and Adolescent Androgen Concentrations With Timing of Breast Development and Family History of Breast Cancer”. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Feb 1;2(2):e190083. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0083. PMID: 30794303
Terry MB, Daly MB, Phillips KA, Ma X, Zeinomar N, Leoce N, Dite GS, MacInnis RJ, Chung WK, Knight JA, Southey MC, Milne RL, Goldgar D, Giles GG, Weideman PC, Glendon G; kConFab Investigators, Buchsbaum R, Andrulis IL, John EM, Buys SS, Hopper JL. “Risk-Reducing Oophorectomy and Breast Cancer Risk Across the Spectrum of Familial Risk”.J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018 Nov 28. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djy182. [Epub ahead of print] PMID:30496449
Nicolas E, Demidova EV, Iqbal W, Serebriiskii IG, Vlasenkova R, Ghatalia P, Zhou Y, Rainey K, Forman AF, Dunbrack RL Jr, Golemis EA, Hall MJ, Daly MB, Arora S. Interaction of germline variants in a family with a history of early-onset clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2019 Mar;7(3):e556. doi: 10.1002/mgg3.556. Epub 2019 Jan 24. PMID: 30680959; PMCID: PMC6418363.
Frost CJ, Andrulis IL, Buys SS, Hopper JL, John EM, Terry MB, Bradbury A, Chung WK, Colbath K, Quintana N, Gamarra E, Egleston B, Galpern N, Bealin L, Glendon G, Patrick Miller L, Daly MB. “Assessing Patient Readiness for Personalized Genomic Medicine”. Journal of Community Genetics, 10 (1), 109-120. Received: 26 June 2017 /Accepted: 18 April 2018 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12687-018-0365-5 EPUB ahead of print 5.29.18
Wolf SM, Scholtes E, Koenig BA, Petersen GM, Berry SA, Beskow LM, Daly MB, Fernandez CV, Green RC, LeRoy BS, Lindor NM, O'Rourke PP, Breitkopf CR, Rothstein MA, Van Ness B, Wilfond BS. “Pragmatic Tools for Sharing Genomic Research Results with the Relatives of Living and Deceased Research Participants”. J Law Med Ethics. 2018 Mar;46(1):87-109. doi: 10.1177/1073110518766024. Epub 2018 Mar 27. No abstract available.
Buys, S.S., Sandbach, J.F., Gammon, A., Patel, G., Kidd, J., Brown, K.L., Sharma, L., Saam, J., Lancaster, J., Daly, M.B. “A Study of Over 35,000 Women with Breast Cancer Tested with a 25-gene Panel of Hereditary Cancer Genes,” Cancer 2017 May 15; 123(10): 1721-1730. doi: 10l1002/cncr.30498.
Daly, M.B., Montgomery, S., Bingler, R., Ruth, K. “Communicating Genetic Test Results within the Family: Is it Lost in Translation: A Survey of Relatives in the Randomized Six-Step Study,” Familial Cancer 2016;15(4):697-706. (PMCID: PMC5010833).
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