Jason Lukas, MD, PhD
17 Years of Experience
Medical Director, SCCA Issaquah
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Assistant Clinical Professor
University of Washington School of Medicine
University of Washington School of Medicine
Clinical expertise
Medical oncology, hematology-oncology, internal medicine, immunotherapy and cancer vaccines
Medical oncology, hematology-oncology, internal medicine, immunotherapy and cancer vaccines
Located at
“No matter the circumstances, I want you to feel like you're the captain of your ship. ”
—
Dr. Lukas
Why do you practice oncology?
Caring for others has been my passion since grade school, when I would nurse animals like baby squirrels back to health. In graduate school, I researched the genetic roots of cancer, which helped point me toward the field of oncology, but my lightbulb moment happened as I watched my aunt go through lung cancer. Her medical care was really impersonal, and I believed that I could do better. I felt that I could bring a different element to cancer care, giving patients a warm, comforting experience no matter their diagnosis or expected outcome.
Specialties and clinical expertise
The branch of medicine a provider practices and their areas of focus
Medical Oncology
Medical Oncology
Breast cancer, lung cancer
I am the medical director of SCCA Issaquah and a board-certified medical oncologist with more than 17 years of experience in cancer care. Prior to joining SCCA, I served as the director of hematology-oncology research at The Everett Clinic and was on active duty in the U.S. Navy. In addition to caring for patients with a variety of cancers, I lead clinical trials to advance our understanding of how to best treat breast cancer and lung cancer. My expertise extends to immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, and the development of cancer vaccines.
Diseases treated
Adrenal Cortical Cancer
Bone Cancer and Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Severe Congenital Neutropenia
Germ Cell Tumors
Hairy Cell Leukemia
Myeloproliferative Disorder (MPD)
Neutropenia
Thalassemia
Thrombosis
von Willebrand Disease
How do you help patients?
People often come in feeling perplexed about their illness and out of control. Many have abandoned all hope. I see myself as a navigator; it’s my job to chart the most state-of-the-art treatment course for you, and — given my experience and knowledge about the medications currently out there and in the pipeline — it’s also my job to give you back hope. From personal experience, I’ve learned a lot about how physicians should relate to patients and family members. Every consultation with you is a privilege; I strive to make cancer treatment the most healing process it can be for everyone involved.
Undergraduate Degree
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
Medical Degree
Drexel University College of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Residency
University of Washington School of Medicine, Internal Medicine
University of Washington School of Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship
University of San Francisco, Hematology-Oncology
University of San Francisco, Hematology-Oncology
Board Certification
Oncology, 2010; Internal Medicine, 2005, American Board of Internal Medicine
Oncology, 2010; Internal Medicine, 2005, American Board of Internal Medicine
Other
PhD, University of Southern California
PhD, University of Southern California
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.
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.
An Open-Label Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Ublituximab in Combination With TGR-1202 for Patients Previously Enrolled in Protocol UTX-TGR-304
Study No:
NCT02656303
Phase:
Phase III
Open-Label Study of PEGPH20 With CIS and GEM; PEGPH20 With Atezolizumab, CIS and GEM; and Compared With CIS and GEM Alone in HA-high Subjects With Previously Untreated, Unresectable, Locally...
Study No:
NCT03267940
Phase:
Phase I
Diet and Exercise Program in Promoting Weight Loss and Improving Health in Patients With Low- or Low-Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer (PALS)
Study No:
NCT02454517
Phase:
Phase III
Efficacy and Safety Study of First-line Treatment With Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) Plus Chemotherapy Versus Placebo Plus Chemotherapy in Women With Persistent, Recurrent, or Metastatic Cervical ...
Study No:
NCT03635567
Phase:
Phase III
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.
Initial safety analysis of a randomized phase II trial of nelipepimut-S + GM-CSF and trastuzumab compared to trastuzumab alone to prevent recurrence in breast cancer patients with HER2 low-expressing tumors.
The major reverse transcriptase-incompetent splice variant of the human telomerase protein inhibits telomerase activity but protects from apoptosis.