Jesse L. Roberts, MD

What do you enjoy most about your specialty?

As an orthopedic oncologist, I usually have dual goals: eliminating a patient’s cancer and then helping that person return to the highest level of functioning possible. What that means is unique to each individual. I enjoy finding out what makes life meaningful for patients and coming up with creative solutions so they can resume those activities. For example, during my fellowship I collaborated with several colleagues to treat a patient with a sarcoma in his arm. After we removed the tumor, we performed a multiple joint replacement surgery so that he could continue pursuing his two passions: fishing and painting. My greatest professional joy is partnering with patients to bring back their health and to restore their physical functioning.

How do you approach care?

One of the reasons I chose this specialty is that I get to stand alongside patients throughout the whole process of care. I break down in understandable terms what a sarcoma diagnosis means and how we can treat it. In orthopedic oncology, there are often multiple treatment options to choose from, none of which is necessarily superior to another. By understanding your goals and what’s important to you, I can help you weigh the risks and benefits and choose the option that’s the best fit. While I can’t promise a specific outcome, I can promise that I will be there to help you face every challenge.

Provider Background

Specialty: Surgery

Area of clinical practice

Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas, Orthopedic Oncology, Pediatric Sarcomas

Sarcomas

I am an orthopedic oncologist who specializes in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of sarcomas. This rare form of cancer affects bones and soft tissue, such as muscles and tendons. My expertise includes performing joint reconstructions and managing the musculoskeletal complications of cancer treatment. I see both children and adults, providing care at Fred Hutch, UW Medical Center - Montlake and Seattle Children’s.

In addition to working with patients, I am also interested in how telemedicine and advanced technology (wearable devices, for example) can be used to help people recover from surgery more quickly and thoroughly. These tools could be particularly valuable for patients who must travel long distances for care. My other research interests include exploring the role of novel technology in orthopedic surgery and understanding the factors that lead patients to choose a particular surgery when there are multiple options.