SEATTLE — June 4, 2026 — Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutch Cancer Center research findings, patient stories and other news.
If you’re interested in reporting on any of this month’s stories, contact media@fredhutch.org to set up an interview.
Also, June is National Cancer Survivor Month. To connect with our cancer survivorship experts, reach out to media@fredhutch.org.
Cancer and oncology research
What cancer researchers, clinicians and patients say about ‘game-changing’ GLP-1s
Current research into new GLP-1 weight loss drugs show promise for conditions like obesity, which is linked to 13 types of cancer and poorer treatment outcomes, as well as addiction, Alzheimer’s, anxiety and cardiovascular disease. However, side effects can include cosmetic changes, muscle loss and gastrointestinal issues. Cancer patients and experts including Marian Neuhouser, PhD, RD, Vidhya Nair, DO, and Jonathan Bricker, PhD, describe the benefits and “trade-offs” of new “miracle” drugs.
Oncology Insights with Dr. Petros Grivas - Episode 14
In this episode of the Oncology Insights Podcast, host Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, FASCO, is joined by Sara Hurvitz, MD, FACP, senior vice president and director of Fred Hutch’s Clinical Research Division. Hurvitz also holds the Smith Family Endowed Chair in Women’s Health. They discuss clinical trials, multidisciplinary care, community outreach and the importance of varied perspectives in leadership.
Oncology nurses translate bedside expertise into research
Seventeen Fred Hutch nurses presented at the annual Oncology Nurse Society (ONS) Congress. They covered topics including Fred Hutch’s Nurse Navigation Program, adapting a NASA-developed workload tool for nurse burnout and developing safer procedures for outpatient lung cancer treatment. Nursing-led research has been shown to improve patient outcomes, such as the development of bone marrow transplantation, for which Fred Hutch’s E. Donnall Thomas, MD, received the Nobel Prize in 1990.
Community impact
Strengthening cancer care by building trust and community
One hundred and thirty-nine health advocates, cancer patients, physicians, nurses, caregivers and researchers from 11 Washington state counties attended the tenth annual Pathways to Health Symposium. The symposium is dedicated to ensuring equal access to cancer care in Washington state through best practices for building trust in care. The Office of Community Outreach & Engagement (OCOE) hosts the event annually. In 2025, their work reached over 14,000 people in 27 counties across the state.
Awards and recognition
ASCO Young Investigator Award winners showcase the breadth and depth of Fred Hutch research
Hannah Abrams, MD, and Gabrielle Paras, MD, Fred Hutch and University of Washington hematology-oncology fellows, and fellowship graduate and faculty member Blossom Suravi Raychaudhuri, MD, were awarded Young Investigator Awards during the 2026 ASCO annual meeting. Awardees receive a one-year, $50,000 grant supporting new mentored projects to continue their research in leukemia, sarcoma and prostate cancer.
Fred Hutch researchers receive Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Awards
Researchers, Pallabi Mustafi, PhD, and Ruben Raychaudhuri, MD, PhD, received Young Investigator Awards from the Prostate Cancer Foundation for their work in epigenetic (DNA-modifying) prostate cancer research. The awards provide $75,000 annually for three years and will support further research with the potential to improve personalized care and treatment outcomes. Mustafi's award recognizes her discovery of an aggressive prostate cancer subtype that is treatable with a combination of existing drugs. Dr. Raychaudhuri received his award for testing an epigenetic approach to improve the efficacy of a newly FDA-approved prostate cancer therapy.
Dr. Toshio Tsukiyama receives the inaugural David and Deborah Lycette Endowed Chair for Cancer Research
Toshio Tsukiyama, PhD, DVM, received the inaugural David and Deborah Lycette Endowed Chair for Cancer Research, honoring his decades of microbiology innovation. The award supports further research into chromatin and cell functions, which will advance the ability to target cancer cells with new therapies. Namesake donors David and Deborah Lycette have supported Fred Hutch for over 50 years and believe this research will drive new discoveries in cancer, prevention and treatment.
Healthcare utilization disruptions continue in post-COVID China
A PLOS Medicine analysis led by Fred Hutch researchers shows substantial, long-term declines in outpatient clinic visits and hospitalizations compared to expected levels from 2020 to 2024 in China. Additionally, outpatient clinic visits did not rebound to expected levels in 65% of China’s regions and hospitalizations remained below expected levels in 74% of the country’s regions. Led by Hong Xiao, PhD, and Joseph Unger, PhD, the study examines the impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on healthcare access in China.
Science Spotlight
Science Spotlight is a monthly installment of articles written by postdoctoral fellows that summarize new research papers from Fred Hutch scientists. If you’re interested in learning more or covering these topics, contact media@fredhutch.org.
- A new immune strategy to keep multiple myeloma at bay
- Mapping the neural pathways linking smell to appetite
- Tumor suppressors gone rogue: a new class of targets for TCR-based cell therapies
- Rethinking the cost of curing sickle cell disease
- How hard you exercise may matter as much as whether you exercise
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Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Fred Hutch Cancer Center unites individualized care and advanced research to provide the latest cancer treatment options while accelerating discoveries that prevent, treat and cure cancer and infectious diseases worldwide.
Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is an independent, nonprofit organization and the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington. We have earned a global reputation for our track record of discoveries in cancer, infectious disease and basic research, including important advances in bone marrow transplantation, immunotherapy, HIV/AIDS prevention and COVID-19 vaccines. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services. Fred Hutch also serves as UW Medicine’s cancer program.