Natasha B. Hunter, MD
Natasha B. Hunter, MD
- Physician, Fred Hutch
- Assistant Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine
- Assistant Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
Medical Oncology
“A cancer diagnosis changes people. It's rewarding to be present with them while they make that adjustment.”
— Dr. Hunter
Why did you change careers from journalism to medicine?
Medicine is similar to journalism in many ways: You read, you talk to experts, you observe, you listen to people's experiences and then you draw conclusions and write a summary. But, as a journalist, your goal is simply to tell the truth. This goal can place you at odds with your sources, and it can sometimes feel a bit abstract. In medicine, I love that I still get to do almost everything I enjoyed as a journalist, but now it’s always in pursuit of tangible goals around caring for people — goals that are shared among patients and providers.
Why do you choose to work with patients who have breast cancer?
In my first year of fellowship, I met an elderly woman with metastatic breast cancer. She was in terrible shape, and I didn’t expect her to live very long, but she became my patient and lived for more than two years longer. Working with her made me understand the impact I can have on patients, especially those with breast cancer. We have more and more tools each day to treat this disease. I was inspired by her strength and felt very honored to care for her; that’s one of the reasons I chose this disease type.
Provider Background
Specialty: Medical Oncology
Area of clinical practice
Breast cancers
Breast cancer
I am a board-certified medical oncologist who specializes in the treatment of breast cancer. Prior to joining Fred Hutch, I completed a fellowship in oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine. My research interests include studying breast cancer biomarkers, which may improve our ability to gauge response to treatment and monitor for recurrence and remission. I’m also interested in exploring new therapies for metastatic disease and how to improve access to studies and new treatments for patients who live in remote areas.
Diseases Treated
Languages
English
Education, Experience and Certifications
Undergraduate Degree
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Medical Degree
Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University
Residency
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Fellowship
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Board Certification
Internal Medicine, 2015; Medical Oncology, 2018, American Board of Internal Medicine
Your Care Team
At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes doctors, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like nutritionists, 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