T. Martin Ma, MD, PhD

“Everybody has distinct life experiences, values and disease characteristics and deserves a customized treatment plan tailored specifically to them.”

— Dr. Ma

Have you been personally impacted by cancer?

My mother-in-law was diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer the summer before I started medical school. My wife and I were on a road trip across the country when we got that dreaded phone call, and our lives were changed forever. Going through the highs and lows of the journey firsthand showed me the tremendous impact of cancer diagnosis and treatment on patients and their loved ones. It helped me appreciate the possible challenges, and it also motivated me to provide the best care I can. I often put myself in the shoes of patients — if they were my family, what would I want doctors to do for us?

What do you value about your work?

An evidence-based approach in a multidisciplinary setting is the best way to provide optimal care to patients. My background as a scientist helps me assess clinical evidence and have a balanced discussion with patients. I take pride in providing high-quality care while keeping my patients informed.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Genitourinary cancers, gynecological cancers, high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), proton therapy

I am a physician who sees patients at the South Lake Union Clinic and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center - Proton Therapy.

I have a long-standing interest in advanced imaging, including multiparametric MRI, prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA PET/CT) and MRI-guided radiotherapy. I have been a co-investigator on multiple phase I/II and phase III clinical trials. I am also an investigator of the international Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials in Cancer of the Prostate (MARCAP) consortium and have led a few meta-analyses answering important clinical questions. 

I have had close family members who battled prostate cancer, so treating it is personal for me. I am also proud to offer complex interstitial brachytherapy for gynecological cancer patients.

Our multidisciplinary teams collaborate closely on one goal: to beat cancer.