/content/dam/www/people-profile-photos/p/heather-parsons/provider-heather-parsons-directory-1x.jpg
/content/dam/www/people-profile-photos/p/heather-parsons/provider-heather-parsons-directory-2x.jpg
Parsons
Heather A. Parsons, MD, MPH

Heather A. Parsons, MD, MPH

Medical Oncology

  • Program Head, Breast Oncology Program, Fred Hutch
  • Associate Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
  • Maudslien Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Precision Oncology Research, Fred Hutch
  • Associate Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

About

Dr. Heather Parsons is a board-certified medical oncologist and researcher at Fred Hutch, specializing in breast cancer and combining patient care with research focused on improving diagnosis and monitoring.


Background

Dr. Parsons cares for patients with breast cancer. She leads the Fred Hutch Breast Oncology Program. Her research focuses on its impact on public health, with an emphasis on developing new diagnostic approaches to support patient care. 

As a clinical translational investigator, Dr. Parsons studies how genomics based biomarkers and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA, or tumor derived DNA found in the blood) can be used in caring for people with breast cancer. She has led studies in both early stage and metastatic breast cancer examining the use of ctDNA as a biomarker to better understand disease behavior and response to treatment.

Area of Clinical Practice
Breast oncology


“Caring for patients with breast cancer provides an opportunity to get to know people well. I want to have a specialty where I can be with each patient for a period of time and then watch them move on with their lives.”

— Dr. Parsons


What brought you to oncology and breast cancer specifically? 

My younger sister was diagnosed at a very young age with lymphoma. She is thriving now, but it had an enormous impact on my life and the life of our family. Seeing her go through that and going through that with her made me want to understand cancer better, and to also make things better for people with cancer. 

I find breast cancer incredibly interesting from a scientific and public health perspective because it affects so many people. I want to advance the care of breast cancer patients, understand the disease better and treat it better.

What would you like a patient to know about you? 

I am here with you through your experience with breast cancer, whether it’s a short or long one. We are in this together. I am somebody who wants to see you as a person and as somebody who has a life that is rich outside of the clinic. I know that patients are not just one person but part of a network of people; we are treating individuals as well as their loved ones and family members. 

Diseases Treated

Diseases Researched

Languages

English

Education and Experience

Fellowship, Medical Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Residency, Internal Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

MD, Drexel University College of Medicine

MPH, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

BA/BS, Genetics, Cell and Developmental Biology, Dartmouth College

Board Certifications

Medical Oncology, 2014; Internal Medicine, 2013; American Board of Internal Medicine

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.

View Clinical Trials

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. Parsons' 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.

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.

Stories

All news
Oncology Insights with Dr. Petros Grivas - Episode 7 Dr. Thomas Lynch on leadership, innovation and cancer research January 29, 2026
Oncology Insights with Dr. Petros Grivas - Episode 6 Dr. Heather Parsons on innovations in breast cancer care January 28, 2026
SABCS25: What’s new in breast cancer research? Advances include a new endocrine therapy, the use of ctDNA to predict response and modifying PET/CTs to better track bone metastases December 17, 2025

Contact Information