Edward N. Libby, MD
Before he became a physician, Edward Libby wanted to be a musician. "But after a few years purusing music, I realized that I wasn't talented enough, so I went to college."
Libby started out planning to go to nursing school. (His mother was a registered nurse). "One summer early in college I volunteered to help in the operating room at a local hospital. From the first moment I saw surgeons cutting with a scalpel I knew I had to be a doctor. It was simply too exciting to miss out on!”
It was during his fellowship that Dr. Libby realized that Oncology doctors often had deep relationships with their patients and were close with almost all of them. “We are happy when there is good news and we cry when things aren’t going well,” he says. “The combination of science, art, and humanism in medicine is in my opinion......best exemplified in oncology.”
Dr. Libby joined SCCA to advance his research career. “Combining research with patient care is what gets me up in the morning and makes me excited to come to work,” he says. “I believe strongly in scientific research to advance the treatment of patients with cancer. The goal(s) are to cure more patients or to prolong disease-free time without cancer (make cancer a chronic disease), and to reduce the side effects of treatment.”
His research interests include finding new treatments for blood cancers, in particular, multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, amyloidosis, and the lymphomas. "My hope is to participate (with my patients) in the discovery and application of new drugs and other therapies for patients with these diseases.
The opportunity to participate in and lead clinical research at SCCA is outstanding, according to Dr. Libby. He is involved in all types of clinical research, including for newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory, patients with multiple myeloma, plasma cell diseases, and lymphoma. “My research group is actively studying new drugs, new combinations of drugs, and new diagnostic techniques for patients with myeloma and lymphoma,” he says.
"I believe strongly in scientific research to advance the treatment of patients with cancer. The goals are to cure more patients, prolong disease-free time without cancer (making cancer a chronic disease), and to reduce side effects of treatment."
These examples of progress are already occurring in many cancers. "I am fortunate to be involved in blood cancers because some of the most important and groundbreaking advances in oncology are being produced for patients with hematologic malignancies," he says.
Outside of work, Dr. Libby "enjoys a little bit of everything," he says. "Jogging and going to the gym, music, art, and the sports scene in Seattle is terrific. I've picked up sailing since arrive in Seattle and joined a sailboat club on Puget Sound." Family and friends are very important to Dr. Libby, so he tries to spend as much time as possible with them, too.
Edward N. Libby, MD
Patient Care Philosophy:
Get to know your patient and their family. We are taking this journey together. Focus on being “there” for my patients. Humility is key.
Title
- Associate Professor, Medical Oncology Division, University of Washington School of Medicine
- Associate Member, Clinical research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Clinical Expertise
Multiple Myeloma, Plasma cell Leukemia, Amyloidosis, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, lymphoma, hematologic malignancies
Education And Training
- The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 1984
- Residency and Chief Residency: University of New Mexico School of Medicine, 1984-88
- Fellowship: University of New Mexico Cancer Center, 2002-2005
More Information
Watch Dr. Libby on Patient Power as he talks about the RELEVANCE trial.