- Diseases We Treat

Provider

Faculty

Diane Tseng, MD, PhD

Specialty:

Medical Oncology

Physician, Fred Hutch
Assistant Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
Member, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC), Fred Hutch
Affiliate Investigator, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutch
Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

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About

Dr. Diane Tseng is a board-certified medical oncologist and researcher at Fred Hutch. She treats lung, and head and neck cancers and studies how the immune system responds to cancer to improve immunotherapy outcomes.

Background

Dr. Tseng specializes in caring for patients with lung cancer, head and neck cancers, mesothelioma and thymic cancer. Her work in clinic is closely connected to her research background in cancer immunology, a field that studies how the immune system interacts with cancer cells and how those interactions can be harnessed for treatment.

Dr. Tseng’s research focuses on understanding why patients respond differently to immunotherapies. She studies how immune cells called T cells recognize tumor cells in the lungs and examines biomarkers (measurable signals in the body) that help explain why treatments work for some patients but not others. Her goal is to better predict treatment response and develop more effective immunotherapy strategies so care can be tailored to each patient.

Area of Clinical Practice
Head and neck cancers, thoracic cancers, lung cancer

“My goal is to combine compassion with the latest scientific breakthroughs to empower my patients in their cancer care.”

— Dr. Tseng

What do you enjoy about practicing oncology?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being in oncology is the close link between research and clinical advances. Year by year, there’s more that I can offer patients — the standard of care constantly evolves, and new treatments and medications emerge. Much of what drew me to Fred Hutch were the clinical research opportunities at the Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Cancer Consortium. It’s a remarkable opportunity to translate discoveries into new and better treatments for my patients with lung cancer.

What’s it like to work with you?

I approach every patient the way that I would want my own family members to be treated. I made that promise to myself a long time ago, and I come to work every day fulfilling that promise. I pair every patient’s unique goals and circumstances with the latest scientific advances in order to provide a personalized approach to care. Being a part of each patient’s journey is incredibly meaningful to me.

Diseases Treated

Head and Neck Cancers

Thymic Cancer

Research Interests

Advancing immunotherapies for the treatment of lung cancer patients

Immunotherapy biomarkers of response in lung cancer

Mechanisms of T cell recruitment to non-small cell lung cancer

Languages

English

Education and Experience

Fellowship, Medical Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine

Residency, Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University

PhD, Cancer Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine

MD, Stanford University School of Medicine

BS, Biological Sciences, Stanford University

Board Certifications

Medical Oncology, 2019; Internal Medicine, 2016; American Board of Internal Medicine

Awards

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

Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award
Dr. Tseng received this award in 2018 to study lung cancer immunology. Sponsored by the foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, this award offers funding to promising young cancer researchers.

Lung Cancer Research Foundation Award
Dr. Tseng received this grant in 2018 for conducting innovative research focused on the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) Career Enhancement Program
Dr. Tseng received this grant in 2020 for her research project studying the relationship between the way the immune system responds to tumors and the way it responds to environmental pathogens in patients with lung cancer.

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

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. Tseng'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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