Bart L. Scott, MD

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Scott
Bart L. Scott, MD

Bart L. Scott, MD

  • Physician, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Transplantation Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
  • Miklos Kohary and Natalia Zimonyi Kohary Endowed Chair, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

Medical Oncology

“I know your disease and the latest treatments, but only you can guide me to meet your health needs.”

— Dr. Scott


What is your personal experience with cancer?

Cancer survivor, family member of a patient, physician — I’ve been all three. When I was in high school, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. After watching her go through what she did and seeing the doctors work with her, I knew that I wanted to be a doctor, too. Then, in my second year of medical school, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. That’s when I learned firsthand about the benefits of people participating in clinical trials. Thanks to those patients, I survived a disease that once had a high mortality rate. These experiences have made me more aware of what patients and families go through when cancer barges into their lives.

What do you want patients to know about clinical trials?

There’s often a misconception that participating in a clinical trial means you won’t get the best treatment. Actually, the opposite is true. Those who decide to join a trial tend to get far superior treatment compared to those who don’t. One reason is the level of monitoring: A team of experts in your particular disease will oversee your care very closely. Another reason is that you have access to the very latest therapies available, which may be more effective than conventional methods. There are no placebos. In the end, you have to decide what’s right for you, and clinical trials aren’t without risk. But choosing to participate in one means that you have the chance to help future patients while also helping yourself.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Adult blood and marrow transplantation, cellular immunotherapy, hematologic malignancies

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
I am the director of hematology and hematologic malignancies at Fred Hutch as well as a medical oncologist who specializes in treating myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Sometimes referred to as “preleukemia,” MDS refers to a group of disorders in which the bone marrow fails to produce enough healthy blood cells. Treatment of this disease is improving rapidly because of clinical trials. I’m currently developing three treatment protocols for MDS, which affects between 13,000 and 20,000 patients in the U.S. every year. In addition to conducting research, I’m also focused on day-to-day patient interactions. In 2016, I received the Ali Al-Johani Award, which recognizes excellence in clinical patient care.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)
One of my subspecialties is treating myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), a rare group of blood cancers caused by an overproduction of white or red blood cells or platelets. I coordinate the care of patients with MPN from all over the world, and I also conduct clinical trials of new drug therapies, such as pacritinib, for these cancers. In recent years, we’ve made a lot of progress in understanding the basic biology of MPN — in particular, some of the mutations that drive it — which makes it possible to develop more targeted therapies with fewer side effects.

Diseases Treated

Leukemia

Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Languages

English

Education, Experience and Certifications

Undergraduate Degree
University of Alabama, Birmingham

Medical Degree
University of South Alabama-Mobile, School of Medicine

Residency
Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine

Fellowship
University of Washington, Hematology-Oncology

Board Certification
Medical Oncology, 2003, 2019, American Board of Internal Medicine

 

Stories

All news
Dr. Bart Scott named Miklos Kohary and Natalia Zimonyi Kohary Endowed Chair Chair recognizes a quarter-century of commitment to advancing MDS treatment and the opportunities ahead May 8, 2024
Alec Hill January 2, 2018
Why some patients keep their cancer secret — and how oncologists guide them through that chosen seclusion Why some patients don’t divulge their diagnoses — and how oncologists guide them through their chosen seclusion August 29, 2016

Clinical Trials

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch physicians. Many of these trials at Fred Hutch have led to FDA-approved treatments and have improved standards of care globally. Together, you and your physician can decide if a study is right for you. 

Find a Clinical Trial Led by Dr. Scott

Publications

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians conduct ongoing research to improve standards of patient care. Their work is evaluated by other physicians and selected for publication to the United States National Library of Medicine, the largest medical library in the world. See scientific papers this Fred Hutch physician has written. 

View Dr. Scott's Publications

Your Care Team

At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes physicians, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like registered dietitians, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders. 

Insurance

Fred Hutch accepts most national private health insurance plans as well as Medicare. We also accept Medicaid for people from Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. We are working to ensure that everyone, no matter what their financial situation, has access to the care they need.