Ryan D. Cassaday, MD
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
University of Washington School of Medicine
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Bone marrow transplantation, immunotherapy, leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)
Located at
My goal is to find the best strategy for each individual patient I see, with the hope of providing the best balance of quality and quantity of life that I can.
”What do you enjoy most about being an oncologist?
I wanted to be able to use my interest in science to help people in a meaningful way. I’ve found that balance as a hematologist-oncologist. Not only do I care for current patients with cancer, I also review past SCCA patients to identify patterns that might predict how we can better treat future patients.
Specialties and clinical expertise
The branch of medicine a provider practices and their areas of focus
Hematology-Oncology
It’s a relatively rare disease, but by coming to a place like Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), you’ll have access to teams that focus on one disease, which is a unique approach. I’m a hematologist-oncologist and I work with a team where acute lymphoblastic leukemia is our key focus. In my clinic, it’s literally all that I do.
Diseases treated
How does research play a role in your work?
Research is a critical part of my work at SCCA, even though I don’t conduct any laboratory-based research. However, I collaborate with colleagues who do, and I apply their observations and discoveries to patient care. I am involved in several clinical trials testing new treatments for patients with ALL. Clinical trials really help move our field forward and, for some diseases, it’s how we meet unmet needs. However, I understand that a clinical trial may not be the right option for every patient.
