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Folkert
Michael R. Folkert, MD, PhD

Michael R. Folkert, MD, PhD

Radiation Oncology

  • Physician, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Radiation Oncology Division, Fred Hutch
  • Professor; Chief of Brachytherapy Service; Physician Lead of Cyclotron Program; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine
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About

Dr. Michael R. Folkert is a board-certified radiation oncologist and researcher who sees patients at Fred Hutch. He specializes in prostate cancer and sarcomas while researching brachytherapy and radiopharmaceutical therapies.

Background

Dr. Folkert’s clinical work and research focuses on prostate cancer and sarcomas, or cancers of the soft tissue and bone. He delivers radiation-based cancer care, highly specialized treatments that direct radiation into or near a tumor to better target the cancer while limiting damage to healthy tissue.

Dr. Folkert is the chief of the Brachytherapy Service and the physician lead of the Cyclotron Program at the University of Washington School of Medicine. His research focuses on the development and use of advanced brachytherapy techniques and devices to treat a wide range of cancers, including those affecting the brain, eyes, spine, chest, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system, gynecologic organs and the musculoskeletal system. He also studies the best ways for multidisciplinary teams to manage prostate, bone and soft tissue cancers, as well as the use of radiopharmaceutical therapy, targeted radioactive medicines that treat cancer.

With more than 20 years of clinical experience in radiation oncology, Dr. Folkert aims to combine engineering, medical physics and clinical expertise to develop approaches to curing or managing cancer with the lowest possible morbidity.

He serves as a representative on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Advisory Committee on Medical Uses of Isotopes and has contributed to more than 100 published scientific works and 2,000 citations.

Area of Clinical Practice
Prostate cancer, sarcomas

“We have a tremendous range of technologies that we can bring to bear on our patients' disease - my most important job is to make sure that the treatment I offer is the best fit for my patients' clinical needs and their quality of life.”

— Dr. Folkert

Diseases Treated

Prostate Cancer

Sarcoma

Brachytherapy Representative, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Advisory Committee on Medical Uses of Isotopes (ACMUI)

Brachytherapy applications

Intraoperative radiation therapy

Theranostics/radiopharmaceutical therapies

Toxicity mitigation strategies

Clinical outcomes

Salvage brachytherapy for radiorecurrent disease

Organ displacement and hypothermia for radiation toxicity reduction

Optimization of radioisotope production and automation of radioligand production

Adaptive and hypofractionated approaches in sarcoma

Neutron therapy for radiation insensitive/radiorecurrent malignancies

Metastasis directed therapy 

Languages

English

Education and Experience

Residency, Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Fellowship, Clinical Research Methodology Program, Weill Cornell Medical College Clinical and Translational Science Center

MD, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology

PhD, Radiological Sciences, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology

BS/MS, Nuclear Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Board Certifications

Radiation Oncology, 2015, American Board of Radiology

Clinical Trials

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch physicians and researchers. Many of these trials at Fred Hutch have led to FDA-approved treatments and have improved standards of care globally. Together, you and your physician can decide if a study is right for you.

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Publications

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians and researchers conduct ongoing research to improve standards of patient care. Their work is evaluated by others in their field 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 physician has written.

View Dr. Folkert's Publications

Your Care Team

At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes physicians, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like registered dietitians, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.

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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.

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Contact Information

206.598.4100

206.598.3786