Evan T. Hall, MD, MPhil

Has cancer touched your life personally?

Both of my parents have been diagnosed with cancer. As I have watched them navigate the medical system, I have realized just how disruptive the whole process can be for patients and family members, even when treatments are successful. There can be a lot of anxiety, particularly in the time between the diagnosis and the formation of a treatment plan. Our goal at Fred Hutch is to organize the next steps as efficiently as possible, so patients feel less adrift as they make sense of what is happening and what their treatment may entail.

How do you like to work with patients?

My philosophy of practicing medicine is informed greatly by the question: What’s causing you the most distress, and how can I help make that better? Often, it’s about more than just alleviating physical symptoms or treating the cancer. Are you able to pursue the activities in life that bring you joy while undergoing treatment? Maybe that’s playing with your grandkids, going to concerts or perfecting your golf swing. The more that I know about the fabric of your life, the better guidance I can offer and the better decisions we can ultimately make together.

Provider Background

Specialty: Medical Oncology

Area of clinical practice

Kidney cancer, skin cancers

Skin cancer, kidney cancer

I am a medical oncologist who specializes in treating skin cancers (including melanoma) and kidney cancer. The treatment of these cancers has changed significantly over the past decade. Now they are commonly treated with novel therapies, such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy, instead of traditional chemotherapy. My research focuses on how to measure and improve quality of life for patients with cancer. For example, one study I led found that the instruments we currently use to analyze how patients feel during cancer treatment do not account for the unique side effects of immunotherapy. We need to develop new tools to better measure patients’ quality of life while receiving this type of treatment. My other areas of interest include physician-patient communication, the health economics of cancer and the benefits of novel modes of patient and caregiver social support, such as online communities.