- Diseases We Treat

Provider

Faculty

Natalie J. Miller, MD, PhD

Specialty:

Medical Oncology

Physician, Fred Hutch
Assistant Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

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About

Dr. Natalie J. Miller is a board-certified medical oncologist and researcher at Fred Hucth. She specializes in melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma, with a focus on advancing immunotherapy.

Background

Dr. Miller treats patients with skin and kidney cancers, including melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma. She helps patients access immunotherapy treatments that use their own immune system to treat cancer.

She began her career in cancer research before immunotherapies were widely used and has witnessed firsthand how transformative these treatments have been for patients. She has dedicated her career to improving immunotherapy approaches and translating research discoveries into new treatments for cutaneous (skin) cancers. Her research focuses on understanding why some cancers respond well to immunotherapy while others do not, with particular emphasis on identifying biomarkers and treatments for resistant disease.

Dr. Miller started studying skin cancer and its treatment in 2012 and played a key role in early laboratory studies demonstrating that patients with Merkel cell carcinoma are likely to benefit from immunotherapy. She also conducts research to improve immunotherapy outcomes for patients with cutaneous melanoma and uveal (eye) melanoma. Across her work, she aims to build on the success of immunotherapy to improve outcomes for more patients with cancer.

Area of Clinical Practice
Melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma

“I want to be sure from the very first visit that all patients get the information they need to understand their diagnosis, what it means and their treatment options. We can then work together to accomplish their goals.”

— Dr. Miller

What do you value about providing care to people with cancer?

My parents were both diagnosed with cancer and have gone through surgery, radiation treatment and medicines to be here today. I know how emotional a diagnosis can be for a patient and their family and the stress and uncertainty of what the future may hold. I’ve also seen how challenging getting care can be. From scheduling treatments to taking time off and making long trips to the doctor, having cancer can be a full-time job. I do my best every day to treat patients like family members, with extra attention toward easing these stressors.

What do you hope it’s like for a patient to work with you? Do you have any interesting stories to share?

I like to think proactively, and that includes considering what treatments may be available in the future. That’s just one of the reasons why Fred Hutch is so special. We lead many clinical trials of new therapies that aim to improve treatment outcomes, and I always keep patients in mind for studies.

A patient came to us with a large melanoma. Treating it with surgery would have required removing most of his ear and other parts of his face. We instead offered treatment with immunotherapy, with the goal of shrinking the tumor enough to allow a surgery that wasn’t disfiguring. The patient was nervous about the potential side effects of these medicines, and we spent a lot of extra time discussing these in detail, including plans to manage anything that came up. After starting treatment, his tumor became dramatically smaller and eventually disappeared. He never needed surgery and is now considered cancer-free. This is quite a common story for many patients benefiting from immunotherapy for non-metastatic skin cancers.

Diseases Treated

Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Research Interests

Dr. Miller research is focused on improving outcomes for patients with PD-1 refractory skin cancers utilizing immunotherapy combinations and other novel approaches.

Languages

English

Education and Experience

Fellowship, Hematology and Oncology, Fred Hutch/University of Washington

Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Washington

MD, PhD, University of Washington

BA, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lewis & Clark College

Board Certifications

Medical Oncology, 2024; Internal Medicine, 2021; American Board of Internal Medicine

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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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. Miller'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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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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