Cancers

Brain cancers kill nearly 14,000 Americans annually and can be particularly difficult to treat. Our scientists are working to pioneer new approaches and shift the standard of care beyond surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Our researchers are exploring every aspect of various types of breast cancer. Our science ranges from studies of risk factors such as inherited genetic mutations to the development of innovative treatments such as immunotherapies.

Researchers at Fred Hutch played an integral role in identifying the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, as well as the development of lifesaving HPV vaccines. They continue to explore new treatments, potential genetic drivers of cervical tumors and the global impact of the disease.

Our researchers are seeking better ways to prevent and detect precancerous colon polyps and colon cancer. They are also developing more personalized treatments based on innovative ways to assess a patient’s likelihood of responding to particular therapies.

Our researchers are working to identify the environmental and genetic factors underlying esophageal cancer. This relatively rare cancer has become more common in the United States and has a high mortality rate.

Tumors in the mouth, nose, throat, larynx and salivary glands are often disfiguring and can impede the ability to talk, swallow or even breathe. Our researchers are investigating risk factors — such as tobacco use and heavy alcohol consumption — as well as more effective and less toxic treatments.

Our scientists are researching ways to treat kidney cancer through targeted drug therapies and by training the body’s own immune system to fight tumors.

Fred Hutch is a world leader in researching leukemia — cancer of the blood or bone marrow — and is the place where bone marrow transplantation, one of the most significant advances in treating leukemia, was pioneered. These and other innovations have led to increases in cure rates for some forms of leukemia from nearly zero to as much as 90 percent.

Our liver cancer researchers study the genetic changes that drive this cancer, develop new ways to detect it, and test drug therapies designed to save more lives.

Lung cancer cases have declined in the past few decades, but the disease remains the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. Our scientists study the factors that underlie lung cancer risk and development, and they seek to develop more effective therapies.

Lymphomas are cancers that strike immune cells within the lymphatic system. Our scientists are developing and testing new drugs to treat these cancers and developing new tests to help guide treatment. Our research includes long-term studies to understand how survivors fare years after treatment.

Fred Hutch is at the forefront of developing treatments for multiple myeloma — a cancer that strikes plasma cells, a type of white blood cell in the bone marrow. These treatments include bone marrow transplantation, which was pioneered at Fred Hutch.

Myelodysplastic syndrome encompasses several diseases in which the bone marrow functions abnormally, leading blood cells to die prematurely. About one-third of people with MDS will develop acute myeloid leukemia. Our scientists are investigating new ways to detect and treat MDS and are studying how it progresses to leukemia.

If diagnosed and treated early, ovarian cancer is often survivable. But many patients are diagnosed with late-stage disease because the symptoms can be easily missed. Our researchers aim to improve early detection and develop better treatments for women with this cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages, and it is highly resistant to treatment. Our researchers are studying the unique biology of this cancer and translating their findings into new therapies that break down the tumors’ defenses.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the U.S. While most are slow-growing, some prostate tumors spread quickly through the body. Our researchers are studying ways to prevent prostate cancer, determine who is most at risk, and better tailor treatment to patients’ tumors.

Sarcomas are a diverse group of cancers that form in the bones and soft tissues, including muscles, joints, tendons and fat. At Fred Hutch, we study how sarcomas develop, how they evade the body’s defenses and how to trigger the immune system to fight them.

Our research on skin cancers includes studies of the mutations that drive cancer growth and the development of treatments that deploy the immune system to fight it. Fred Hutch skin cancer research focuses on squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma.