Zachary Kadro, ND, MPH

What brought you to oncology?

I had an older cousin who passed away from stomach cancer. Unfortunately, by the time he was diagnosed, it was already an advanced case, and we lost him six months later. He was in his final year of medical school. The experience of seeing someone with their whole life ahead of them affected by cancer left a big impression on me.

How would you describe your role and approach to care?

My role is to use evidence-based integrative therapies, including nutrition, mind/body practices, and conservative use of natural products, to help patients manage the side effects of cancer treatments and improve their overall health. I work with patients to develop integrative treatment plans that align with their goals and values and meet their specific needs during and after cancer treatment.

Cancer can be one of the most challenging times in a person’s life, so I want to help make sure patients have what they need to feel supported — emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Many people diagnosed with cancer experience anxiety, depression, stress, difficulty sleeping, and physical symptoms like fatigue, nausea, and pain. I want patients to know that in addition to conventional treatments, there are many integrative therapies we can use to help them.

I am guided by the principles of naturopathic medicine, including doing no harm, treating the whole person, treating the cause, focusing on prevention, serving as a teacher and partner, and supporting the body’s natural healing processes.

Provider Background

Integrative medicine

I am a naturopathic physician who sees patients at SCCA South Lake Union.

I work with a high proportion of patients diagnosed with breast cancer, but I see people with many different diagnoses. Cancer treatment is one of the places in medicine where we can bring together conventional and complementary therapies to deliver patient-centered care and really focus on whole-person health.

We know that many cancer patients use, or are interested in using, some form of complementary or integrative medicine therapy during their treatment — whether that be taking supplements, changing their diet, having acupuncture, or using cannabis products — so I want to make sure patients know they can feel comfortable having an open conversation with me about these options, and we can talk through which ones are most likely to be safe and effective.