"Fred Hutch Cancer Center" "Cures Start Here"

Filippo Milano, MD, PhD

Provider

Filippo Milano, MD, PhD

Director, Cord Blood Transplant Program, Fred Hutch
Associate Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutch
Endowed Chair in Cord Blood Research, Fred Hutch
Associate Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

Specialty:

Hematology-Oncology

South Lake Union Clinic

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“It’s very important that when I care for my patients, I can provide the best. And working with a collaborative team of nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants and volunteers who all put our patients first supports that.”

— Dr. Milano

What do you enjoy about working in oncology?

When I left my home country, Italy, my intention was to stay here only six months — but it’s now been a decade. I decided to stay because of the quality of work that I have found here. It’s a very exciting time to be in our field; a lot of things are changing. I had to do a fellowship twice in my life and I always tell my patients that between the first and second fellowship, at least 60 percent of what I’d learned from the first fellowship had changed. Over a span of 12 years, the information I learned in my first fellowship was already “prehistoric.” New findings come up every year, and that leads to better clinical outcomes for patients, so don’t give up hope.

What is your approach to patient care?

My philosophy is to care for my patients with respect and compassion. I communicate with my patients and know that I am a part of their life; it is something I keep in my mind all the time. It’s not just about what drug is used — the way physicians interact with their patients is just as important. I love that. I love meeting new people and building those relationships with my patients and their families. My patients will remember my funny accent, and I’m going to remember something about each and every one of them.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Adult blood and marrow transplantation, cord blood transplantation

As a hematologist-oncologist, it is important for me to spread the word that for patients who do not have a bone marrow donor match, a cord blood transplant can be a very good treatment option. Fred Hutch's survival rate for cord blood transplant patients has outcomes equivalent to what we see with other transplant types.

Diseases Treated

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Blood Disorders

Bone Marrow Failure Diseases

Languages

English
Italian

Education, Experience and Certifications

Medical Degree
University La Sapienza

Residency
University La Sapienza Rome, Hematology

Fellowship
University of Washington, Hematology-Oncology

Other
PhD, University La Sapienza

Stories

All news

Dr. Filippo Milano receives inaugural Endowed Chair in Cord Blood Research

Dr. Filippo Milano receives inaugural Endowed Chair in Cord Blood Research Unrestricted funding will help grow Fred Hutch’s Cord Blood Transplant Program so that ‘every patient has a donor’ April 2, 2025

Novel regimen greatly reduced chronic GVHD in phase 2 study at Fred Hutch

Novel regimen greatly reduced chronic GVHD in phase 2 study at Fred Hutch Substituting cyclophosphamide for a standard post-transplant immunosuppressant is a “gamechanger” February 7, 2025

Testing cord blood transplants as a cure for leukemia — and HIV

Testing cord blood transplants as a cure for leukemia — and HIV New clinical trial at several U.S. cancer centers will enroll people living with HIV and advanced leukemia March 10, 2022

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch physicians. 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. Milano

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians 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. Milano's Publications

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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 dieticians, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.

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