Elihu Estey

Elihu H. Estey, MD

Elihu H. Estey, MD

47 Years of Experience
Physician
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Professor, Hematology and Medicine
University of Washington School of Medicine
Director of AML Clinical Research Division
UW Medicine
Member and Director of AML Clinical Research Division
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Clinical expertise
Leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)
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“

When it comes to treatment, always be prepared for success instead of failure.

”
— Dr. Estey

What do you want patients to know about working with you?

If you’ve been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), you’ve probably heard a lot of pessimistic talk about your health and what’s to come — statements like, “Chemotherapy is horrible,” or, “You have three months to live.” I try to be the antidote to all that negativity. Now that we have a greater understanding of the genetics of AML, treatment is improving and people do get cured. While I won’t be a Pollyanna about your situation, I think it’s important for you to be prepared for success rather than failure.

Elihu H. Estey, MD

Specialties and clinical expertise
The branch of medicine a provider practices and their areas of focus

Hematology-Oncology

Acute myeloid leukemia

I am a board-certified oncologist and researcher who specializes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other blood cancers. Prior to joining SCCA in 2008, I spent 30 years coordinating clinical AML research and treating patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Given the length of my career, I’ve likely seen as many adults with AML as anyone in the world. In addition to treating patients, I am a principal author of the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) expert guidelines for the treatment of AML. My research focuses on two main areas. The first is optimizing clinical trial methodology so that the design is more in keeping with the complexities of medical practice — for example, monitoring multiple endpoints, such as survival and toxicity, rather than just one endpoint. The second area is enhancing the treatment of AML and myelodysplastic syndromes by collecting and analyzing data, so that care decisions are always based on evidence rather than convention. I have published more than 200 scientific papers investigating these two areas.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

MDS is a group of disorders that stem from abnormal blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. About one in three patients with MDS will develop acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Treatment options vary according to the type of MDS; however, I am striving to improve those options.

Diseases treated

Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia
Essential Thrombocytosis
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What is your approach to cancer treatment?

AML is the most common leukemia in adults, and treating it can be challenging due to its high number of chromosomal abnormalities. For that reason, many of the patients I see are unlikely to do well when treated with standard therapies. I believe that one of the most important things I can do is inform you about clinical trials testing new approaches; participating in a clinical trial is often the best option for successfully treating this disease. There are many to choose from, and picking the right one for you isn’t easy. However, we’ll discuss the risks and benefits as well as quality of life and logistical issues, so that together we can decide if enrolling in a clinical trial is in your best interest.

Testimonials

Ellen Nottingham
“From our visit meeting throughout treatment, I valued Dr. Estey’s intelligence, knowledge, candor and wit. His clear explanations, together with his patience in answering my questions, enabled me to negotiate decision points in my treatment with equanimity. Another hospital had already sent me home to die. Dr. Estey, with his clinical trial and his exceptional nurse and PA team, gave me more life.”
— Ellen Nottingham | Dr. Estey’s patient
Ben Doherty
“Dr. Estey worked tirelessly to find a new clinical trial that would give me my best chance of survival.”
— Ben Doherty | Dr. Estey’s patient
Read My Story
Katie Collier
“I never dreaded going in there. People dread it but I never did,” Katie explained, looking back on it. “We chose SCCA because my Mom’s care had been phenomenal.”
— Katie Collier | Dr. Estey’s patient
Read My Story

Education, experience and certifications

Undergraduate Degree
Yale University
Medical Degree
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Residency
New York University School of Medicine-Bellevue Hospital Center, General Internal Medicine and Neurology
Fellowship
MD Anderson Cancer Center, Developmental Therapeutics
Board Certification
Medical Oncology, 1980; General Internal Medicine, 1975, American Board of Internal Medicine
Other
Teaching Appointment, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Languages

English

Your care team

At SCCA, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes doctors, a team coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like nutritionists, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.
Heather A. Smith, PA-C
Heather A. Smith, PA-C, MMSc
Physician Assistant
Advanced Practice Provider
Registered nurse (RN)
Your nurse manages your care alongside your physician and assists with care procedures and treatments.
Team coordinator (TC)
Your team coordinator works closely with you and your physician and serves as your scheduler.

Clinical trials

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by SCCA doctors. Many of these trials at SCCA have led to FDA-approved treatments and have improved standards of care globally. Together, you and your doctor can decide if a study is right for you.
Comparison of Triple GVHD Prophylaxis Regimens for Nonmyeloablative or Reduced Intensity Conditioning Unrelated Mobilized Blood Cell Transplantation
Study No: NCT03246906
Phase: Phase II
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Filgrastim, Cladribine, Cytarabine and Mitoxantrone With Sorafenib Tosylate in Treating Patients With Newly-Diagnosed, Acute Myeloid Leukemia or High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Study No: NCT02728050
Phase: Phase I/II
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Selective Depletion of CD45RA+ T Cells From Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Grafts From HLA-Matched Related and Unrelated Donors in Preventing GVHD
Study No: NCT02220985
Phase: Phase II
View Trial
Ruxolitinib Phosphate and Dasatinib or Nilotinib in Treating Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Study No: NCT03654768
Phase: Phase II
View Trial
See more clinical trials

Press and news

SCCA providers are often asked to give their medical advice for press and news publications. Read articles by or about this SCCA provider.
Interview at #ASH18: Dr. Elihu Estey on Being a Mentor
By Seattle Cancer Care Alliance - Published December 2, 2018
Different Subtypes of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Create Both Clinical and Research Challenges
By The ASCO Post - Published April 25, 2017

Publications

Many of our SCCA 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 SCCA provider has written.
New drug approvals in acute myeloid leukemia: an unprecedented paradigm shift.
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