West Cancer Center & Research Institute is pleased to announce that Dr. Allison Vaughn Jones has joined their Dermatology Multidisciplinary Clinic. Jones is a highly respected, board certified dermatologist at UT Dermatology and brings extensive experience in diagnosing and managing complex skin conditions, including those that intersect with oncology care. She will be collaborating with Dr. Jason Chandler and Dr. David Portnoy to enhance coordinated care for patients with skin cancers, treatment related dermatologic concerns, and other conditions that benefit from integrated expertise. This is a collaboration between West Cancer Center and Research Institute and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Jones will continue her practice at UT as the Assistant Professor of Dermatology at UTHSC, while collaborating with Dr. Portnoy.
West Cancer Center & Research Institute has opened a new clinic location in Bartlett. This expansion reflects their continued commitment to increasing access to high‑quality cancer care across the Mid‑South. The Bartlett office will operate Monday through Thursday and will initially function as a surgery clinic. The following specialists will be providing services at the Bartlett location.
Head & Neck Oncology – Dr. Richard Muller
Breast Surgical Oncology – Dr. Linda Han
Gynecologic Oncology – Dr. Todd Tillmanns
Urogynecology – Dr. Ben Abdu
Dr. Axel Grothey, medical oncologist and Director of Gastrointestinal Cancer Research at West Cancer Center & Research Institute, recently authored a powerful column in The Tennessean highlighting the urgent need for colorectal cancer screening across Tennessee. Grothey sheds light on the state’s high rates of colon cancer diagnoses and deaths, while emphasizing that early detection can dramatically improve outcomes. His column also introduces a promising new FDA-approved blood test—the Shield test—which offers a more convenient, non-invasive screening option for eligible adults. Through his perspective, Grothey reinforces a critical message: one conversation with a doctor and one screening test can truly save lives.
A new study published in Nature Publishing Group highlights promising strategies to improve adherence to oral endocrine therapy (AET) among younger breast cancer patients—an area critical to long-term outcomes. Dr. Gregory Vidal co-authored this important research, which examined the impact of app-based remote monitoring on treatment adherence. Findings from this randomized trial demonstrated that premenopausal women using a remote symptom-monitoring app achieved significantly higher 12-month adherence rates compared to usual care (53.9 percent vs. 25.0 percent), while no significant benefit was observed among postmenopausal patients. These results underscore the unique challenges younger patients face and highlight remote monitoring as a scalable, technology-driven approach to help close adherence gaps and improve outcomes. Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41523-026-00900-9