Top Doctor
Michi M. Shinohara, MD
Located at
I have the unique opportunity to help patients alleviate skin symptoms associated with cancer treatment. These symptoms tend to be very visible and bothersome, like itching or peeling. Showing people how to take care of their skin while undergoing treatment can have a big impact on their quality of life. I also treat patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a rare type of cancer that originates in white blood cells but affects the skin. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about this disease, so I find it rewarding to help patients understand what the condition is and how we can treat it. Most people live with CTCL for quite a long time, and I want to make sure those years are good years.
I was treated for thyroid cancer at Fred Hutch, and that experience made me appreciate the fact that people can have very different ways of coping with illness. Personally, I valued being able to let go of the problem; while I still participated in making decisions, I chose not to be involved in all the details or to read every new study about my disease so that I could instead focus on living my life. As a physician, I strive to understand your motivations, identify what you see as an ideal outcome and respect your desires about how much information you want to know.
Provider background
Specialty: Dermatology
Hematologic malignancies, skin cancers, skin conditions related to cancer treatment
I am a physician who is triple-board-certified in internal medicine, dermatology and dermatopathology (the cellular causes of skin diseases). My clinical expertise includes the treatment of a variety of cancer-related skin complications. I see patients at the Dermatology Clinic at UWMC-Roosevelt, and I also serve as the co-director of SCCA’s Cutaneous Lymphoma Clinic.
CTCL is often diagnosed only after substantial delay, and it can be challenging to treat. I am establishing a national registry for patients with CTCL so that we as a field can better understand the disease and develop novel treatment strategies. In addition to conducting clinical trials for CTCL, I also participate in collaborative studies with the United States Cutaneous Lymphoma Consortium.
Diseases treated
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
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Your care team
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.
