Johnnie J. Orozco, MD, PhD
Johnnie J. Orozco, MD, PhD
- Physician, Fred Hutch
- Associate Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutch
- Associate Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine
Hematology-Oncology
“I strive to be mindful of the therapies we as a field are working on, who they’re geared for and what populations are being left out, because everyone should have the opportunity to experience a cure. ”
— Dr. Orozco
What do you enjoy about being a physician-scientist?
Being at the forefront of what’s going on in the clinic gives me a sense of what the challenges are and what obstacles patients are facing, so that I can take those issues back to the lab and research potential solutions. For example, people who need a stem cell transplant and who are ethnic or racial minorities often have difficulty finding a fully matched donor on transplant registries, because most of those donors are non-Hispanic whites. I’m investigating ways to make partially-matched transplantation — when donors and recipients share only some of the same genetic markers — safer, so that transplantation can be a treatment option available to more people.
What’s it like to work with you?
My approach to care is guided by two things: what the data supports and what you want to accomplish. We plot your course of treatment together, and that plan may look different for each person. Some patients opt for a transplant, some choose to participate in a clinical trial, and others may go a completely different route. One of the aspects of oncology practice I enjoy is the opportunity to be flexible and creative, drafting a plan that optimizes your medical care and also takes into account your hopes, life goals and values.
Provider Background
Area of Clinical Practice
Adult blood and marrow transplantation
Leukemias and Lymphomas
I am a board-certified hematologist-oncologist who specializes in treating and researching blood cancers, such as leukemias and lymphomas. At Fred Hutch, I consult with patients who are considering bone marrow transplantation and provide care for those who pursue this treatment path. I also work with patients who have been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
In the lab, I explore ways to make stem cell transplantation safer and more effective, particularly transplants involving donors who are only a partial genetic match to their recipients. My clinical trials test radioimmunotherapies, a type of targeted radiation that works with proteins in the immune system to attack cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Another area of interest is developing new treatment options for patients with AML that does not enter complete remission.
Diseases Treated
Languages
English
Spanish
Education, Experience and Certifications
Undergraduate Degree
University of California, Los Angeles
Medical Degree
University of Washington School of Medicine
Residency
University of California, San Francisco
Fellowship
University of Washington, Hematology-Oncology
Board Certification
Internal Medicine, 2009; Medical Oncology, 2012; Hematology, 2013, American Board of Internal Medicine
Other
PhD, University of Washington; Internship, University of California, San Francisco
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.
For the Media
The Media Relations team at Fred Hutch is available to assist members of the news media who would like to arrange interviews with providers.
Email media@fredhutch.org or call 206.667.2210