Top Doctor Top Doctor
The Top Doctor award is a peer-nominated award for providers who give exceptional care.

Farhood Farjah, MD

Physician
Fred Hutch
Associate Professor
University of Washington School of Medicine
Associate Medical Director, Surgical Outcomes Research Center
UW Medicine
Specialty:
Surgery
“I admire the way patients with cancer rise above adversity and achieve their true goals, regardless of the treatment pathway they choose.”
— Dr. Farjah
What makes this work meaningful for you?

Part of what I do is cancer surveillance for patients I’ve treated, which gives me the opportunity to follow them over the course of years. I get to celebrate with my patients each time they get a scan revealing they are still cancer-free, and I comfort and support them when the news is more serious. Another equally rich aspect of our interactions is that I get to hear about their lives and how they have evolved — when people remarry or when grandchildren are born. It serves as a reminder of all the great work being done at Fred Hutch to help give people their lives back. 

Surveillance Closely watching a patient’s condition but not treating it unless there are changes in test results. Surveillance is also used to find early signs that a disease has come back. In medicine, surveillance means closely watching a patient’s condition but not treating it unless there are changes in test results. Surveillance is also used to find early signs that a disease has come back. It may also be used for a person who has an increased risk of a disease, such as cancer. During surveillance, certain exams and tests are done on a regular schedule. In public health, surveillance may also refer to the ongoing collection of information about a disease, such as cancer, in a certain group of people. The information collected may include where the disease occurs in a population and whether it affects people of a certain gender, age or ethnic group.
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What’s it like to work with you?

Patients seek out specialists for various reasons. Whether you’re looking for a diagnosis, a cure, advice, a second opinion or a specialized treatment, I work with you to identify your goals and help you achieve them. I am a believer in the multidisciplinary approach to care; it’s important that you have a team of experts who work well together, and we do that at Fred Hutch. We take the time to get to know you and what’s important to you beyond survival, like how well you function after treatment and how we can minimize side effects.

Side effects A problem that occurs when treatment affects healthy tissues or organs. Some side effects of cancer treatment are nausea, vomiting, fatigue, pain, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss and mouth sores.

Provider background

Specialty: Surgery

Area of clinical practice

Thoracic cancers

Lung cancer, esophageal cancer, thoracic conditions

I’m a thoracic surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive surgery for lung cancer, esophageal cancer and other chest conditions. My clinical expertise includes the management of a variety of malignancies, such as pleural mesothelioma, that involve the chest and may be responsive to surgical intervention. At Fred Hutch, I am part of the thoracic oncology group and the esophageal cancer team. I also participate on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network panel that crafts clinical practice guidelines for esophageal and gastric cancer.

As a clinical researcher, I study the care of lung cancer patients across the nation in order to improve both their outcomes and quality of life. Teaching the next generation of thoracic surgeons and clinical investigators is also important to me. I serve as the associate medical director of the UW Medicine Surgical Outcomes Research Center; in this role, I mentor surgical residents enrolled in a post-doctoral research fellowship program. 

Thoracic Having to do with the chest.

Diseases treated

Education, experience and certifications
Medical Degree
Oregon Health and Science University
Residency
University of Washington Medical Center, Surgery
Fellowship
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Surgery
Board Certification
Thoracic Surgery, 2013, American Board of Thoracic Surgery; Surgery, 2010, American Board of Surgery
Languages
English
Farsi
Awards
Seattle magazine's 2022 Top Doctors award

Dr. Farjah has received this peer-nominated award for his exceptional patient care multiple years in a row.

Seattle Met's 2021 Top Doctors award

Dr. Farjah has been recognized as a Top Doctor in this peer-nominated award multiple years in a row.

Research

Clinical trials

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch doctors. Many of these trials at Fred Hutch 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.

Publications

Many of our Fred Hutch doctors conduct ongoing research to improve standards of patient care. Their work is evaluated by other doctors 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 provider has written.

Press

Our providers are often asked to give their medical expertise for press and news publications. Read articles by or about this Fred Hutch provider.

Top Doctors 2021: Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery

SCCA’s Douglas Wood, MD, Michael S. Mulligan, MD and Farhood Farjah, MD, were named to Seattle Magazine’s list of Top Doctors in Seattle for 2021, recognizing their excellence in thoracic and cardiac surgery.

Your care team

At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes doctors, a patient care 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.
Registered nurse (RN)
Registered nurse (RN)
Your nurse manages your care alongside your doctor and assists with care procedures and treatments.
Patient care coordinator
Patient care coordinator
Your patient care coordinator works closely with you and your doctor and serves as your scheduler.

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.

For providers