"Fred Hutch Cancer Center" "Cures Start Here"

Heather Greenlee, ND, PhD, MPH

Provider

Heather Greenlee, ND, PhD, MPH

Director, Integrative Medicine Program, Fred Hutch
Professor, Cancer Prevention Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutch
Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

Specialty:

Integrative Medicine

South Lake Union Clinic

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“I aim to help you make informed decisions about which integrative therapies to use, with the goal of supporting your mind, body and well-being.”

— Dr. Greenlee

How do you help patients?

I have a broad understanding of how integrative therapies can be used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment to ease side effects and bolster overall health and well-being. These therapies include practices such as acupuncture and meditation, as well as lifestyle behaviors such as diet and physical activity. I help you make decisions so that you can invest your time and resources into evidence-based activities and practices. Together, we create a plan that evolves over time because what you need during active treatment isn’t necessarily what you need during survivorship. Every step of the way you can expect me to listen, guide you through your options and work in concert with you and your team of medical providers.

Why do you feel passionate about blending integrative medicine with oncology?

Cancer has been up close and personal for me since I was a teenager, when my stepfather was diagnosed with a glioblastoma. His medical treatment was excellent, but much more could have been done to improve his quality of life and help my family navigate the process more smoothly. That experience, in part, was what inspired me to study both naturopathic medicine and epidemiology — I wanted to go beyond just treating disease to focusing on preventing cancer and promoting the health and well-being of patients and their families. What I love about my work is the opportunity to help patients with cancer make sound decisions about using integrative medicine while also conducting research into promising, new therapies.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Integrative medicine

Trained as a naturopathic physician and an epidemiologist, I am the medical director of the Integrative Medicine Program at Fred Hutch. I help patients with all cancer types work toward their health and wellness goals, during treatment and beyond.

Research is a vital part of my work. I’ve led multiple clinical trials studying topics like diet, physical activity, weight management, acupuncture and dietary supplements for cancer survivors. The goal of our research is to understand what cancer survivors can do, in addition to conventional treatment, to manage symptoms and side effects and improve prognosis. In 2017, I co-authored a study that showed acupuncture was effective at relieving joint pain caused by a popular class of breast cancer drugs known as aromatase inhibitors. Past president of the Society for Integrative Oncology, I also co-led the creation of the clinical guidelines for using integrative therapies with patients who have breast cancer. These guidelines were recently endorsed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Diseases Treated

All Cancer Types

Languages

English

Education, Experience and Certifications

Undergraduate Degree
University of Washington

Medical Degree
Bastyr University

Fellowship
Bastyr Center for Natural Health, Research; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Research; Columbia University, Cancer Prevention & Control

Board Certification
Naturopathic Physician, 2001

Other
PhD, Columbia University; Master of Public Health, University of Washington School of Medicine

Stories

All news

Bridging the pain communication gap

Bridging the pain communication gap Cancer patient and providers share experiences, tips on communicating pain to inform symptoms and treatments July 13, 2023

ASCO 2023 highlights: Fine-tuning cancer care

ASCO 2023 highlights: Fine-tuning cancer care Annual oncology meeting emphasizes less-toxic treatments, more precision oncology and new ways to reduce collateral damage June 9, 2023

Peripheral neuropathy: When having no pain is a big problem

Peripheral neuropathy: When having no pain is a big problem Chemotherapy-induced nerve damage is common for cancer patients and difficult to treat March 27, 2023

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. Greenlee

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. Greenlee'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.

Meet Other Providers

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.

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