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Gore
John L. Gore, MD, MS, FACS
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John L. Gore, MD, MS, FACS

Surgery

Urology

  • Physician, Fred Hutch
  • Senior Vice President and Director, Surgical Oncology Division, Fred Hutch
  • Affiliate Investigator, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine
  • Adjunct Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine
  • Director, Center for Health Outcomes Research and Dissemination, UW Medicine
  • Jessie H. Bridges Endowed Professor in Prostate Cancer Research, UW Medicine
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About

Dr. John Gore is senior vice president and director of the Surgical Oncology Division at Fred Hutch. He is a surgeon and researcher specializing in caring for patients with urologic cancers.

Background

Dr. Gore's focuses on kidney and bladder cancers, and he also treats cancers affecting the prostate, testicles, urethra and ureter. He has expertise in minimally invasive surgery, robotic surgery and complex open procedures. 

He studies how to improve access to urologic cancer care and the quality of that care. One area of his focus is comparative effectiveness research, which helps identify what treatments might work best for a particular patient at a particular time. 

Dr. Gore is a member of multiple professional organizations, including the American Urological Association, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Society of Urologic Oncology.

Area of Clinical Practice
Genitourinary cancers, kidney cancer, urologic cancers, urologic surgery

“One of my goals is to ensure that you leave the clinic room knowing everything I know about your disease.”

— Dr. Gore

Tell us about an interaction with a patient that had a significant impact on you.

When I was a resident, I took care of a patient with a huge mass in his kidney. It turned out to be an aggressive form of cancer, but it hadn’t spread, and I was able to remove it. Fourteen years later, he remains cancer-free. Every spring, on the anniversary of his surgery, he sends me an email thanking me for saving his life. I cherish his message every time it comes, especially on the tough days. Being able to help patients like him through a complex health situation is one of the most meaningful contributions I can make.

What do you think patients appreciate about working with you?

One of my goals is to ensure that you leave the clinic room knowing everything I know about your disease. Often, people come to Fred Hutch understanding that they have cancer, but no one has shared with them the important details about their situation that influence their ability to make decisions. It’s really hard to be a patient, and one way I try to ease that burden is to lay out everything we know and the rationale behind my treatment recommendations. Good communication is a key ingredient of building trust and helping you feel confident in your care. 

Diseases Treated

Bladder Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Testicular Cancer

Ureteral Cancer

Bladder Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Patient-centered outcomes research

Pragmatic clinical trials

Comparative effectiveness research

Health services research

Quality of health care delivery

Quality of life after cancer treatment

Patient-centered clinical trial design

Patient engagement in research

Effectiveness of telehealth

PI of the CISTO Study (Comparison of Intravesical Therapy and Surgery as Treatment Options for Bladder Cancer) funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The CISTO Study compares radical cystectomy and bladder-sparing therapies for recurrent high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Through additional NCI R01 funding, we will obtain at least 5 years of follow up on all CISTO Study patients.

Co-investigator on CYSTONET which applies artificial intelligence during cystoscopic surgery

PI of studies to develop and implement patient-centered pathology reports in clinical practice

Co-investigator for Evidence-Based Practice Center systematic reviews to support the USPSTF on prostate cancer screening

PI of a mentored virtual research experience for medical students interested in urology research

PI of UW/Fred Hutch urologic oncology telehealth cohort study

Languages

English
Spanish

Education and Experience

MS, Health Services, University of California David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles

Fellowship, Urologic Oncology; Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar; University of California David Geffen School of Medicine

Residency, Urology, University of California David Geffen School of Medicine

MD, Baylor College of Medicine

BS, Biology; Chemistry; University of Minnesota

Board Certifications

Urology, 2011, American Board of Urology

Awards

Seattle Met's 2025 Top Doctors Award
Dr. Gore has received this peer-nominated award for exceptional patient care for multiple years.

Seattle Magazine's 2025 Top Doctors Award
Dr. Gore has received this peer-nominated award for exceptional patient care for multiple years.

Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium Pilot Grant
Dr. Gore received this award in 2018 to support his research in using telehealth to reduce the prostate cancer burden in rural, underserved communities.

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. 

Find a Clinical Trial Led by Dr. Gore

Publications

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians and researchers 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 Fred Hutch physician has written. 

View Dr. Gore'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. 

Meet Other Providers

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.

More About Insurance

Stories

All news
Fred Hutch acquires Da Vinci single-port robot for Complex urologic cancer surgery
Fred Hutch acquires Da Vinci single-port robot for Complex urologic cancer surgery August 22, 2022
Kidney cancer: Multidisciplinary clinic helps navigate changing treatment landscape
Kidney cancer: Multidisciplinary clinic helps navigate changing treatment landscape August 31, 2021