Fred Hutch - Proton Therapy

03/16/2026

Kyle Turver is a Spiritual Health counselor at the facility. He's available to talk with patients and families and can share information about other resources available to them at Fred Hutch. He also counsels staff, provides a safe place to talk, learn coping skills and help decompress from work. And he loves making music. In fact, music led him to seminary, and later, to Fred Hutch. Learn more about Turver: https://bit.ly/3MmBhay

03/12/2026

Highly treatable cancers that affect young people require special considerations. These include certain lymphomas such as , which affect this population. Unfortunately, there are no screening tests, but these cancers are considered curable. Physicians put heavier emphasis on reducing potential side effects, especially future cancer risk and infertility, to preserve patients' quality of life. Learn about these considerations from Dr. Yolanda Tseng, who is a radiation oncologist at the Fred Hutch facility. https://bit.ly/4aBacby

03/11/2026

Did you know that when you give blood, you could help a ? Donated blood is in short supply right now. We interviewed Sandhya Panch, MD, MPH, medical director of transfusion to learn more about why that matters, what cancer patients' needs are, and how you can help: https://bit.ly/4tGvr4p

In this conversation with Dr. Sandhya Panch, we take a look at how blood supply shortages affect people with cancer, the different types of blood donations and how you can help.

03/11/2026

We asked our staff to share moments with patients they'll never forget. Kyle Turver, who is a chaplain at Fred Hutch , said:
"I have a patient who is 95 years old and was a musician and college professor. His wife had to move out of their home because of progressing dementia. He is dealing with . He brought in recordings of himself playing the saxophone and we listened to them together. He shared his memories of making them, and we were surprised to find that the recordings and memories revealed many resources from his past that were useful to him in his current challenges."

03/08/2026

Today is the 13th Anniversary of the facility in Seattle! On March 8, 2013, we officially opened the doors to patients to receive this precise, advanced treatment for many types of , the only center of its kind within 900 miles.

In the 13 years we've been open, we've gathered many stories and testimonials. Check them out here: https://bit.ly/4rHu6bG

03/08/2026

Today is International Women's Day. to the women on staff at Fred Hutch for their excellent as well as all their accomplishments, whether professional or personal. We stand behind you!

03/06/2026

Dr. Jamie Takayesu is a specialist in gastrointestinal , including , at Fred Hutch. She explains how can sometimes be beneficial in treating such cancers because they it can limit the amount of radiation dose to healthy tissues. Hear her explanation: https://bit.ly/4qE7vMm

This is "Proton Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cancers with Dr. Jamie Takayesu" by Fred Hutch Cancer Center on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and…

03/05/2026

The Beam newsletter this month introduces you to Hodgkin lymphoma survivor, Jana Batson, who was diagnosed at age 31. Hodgkin mostly affects young people, meaning treatment must consider additional factors, such as preserving fertility. Learn more about Batson’s care and treatment with protons and about lymphoma from our specialist Dr. Yolanda Tseng.

We also review the screening guidelines for and why they can sometimes be confusing. Finally, we introduce you to our spiritual health counselor, Kyle Turver, who is also a musician. https://bit.ly/3OScXxZ

03/04/2026

If you are taking dietary supplements, or thinking about taking them, read this article first!

Initially created to treat nutritional deficiencies, dietary supplements are now sold as a panacea for nearly all ills ― including ― and unlike drugs used to treat disease, they face few regulatory hurdles.

Supplements have not been shown to prevent cancer and, in some cases, may actually increase cancer risk.

What’s more, some supplements can interfere with , something not all patients realize. Many people assume they’re harmless, even beneficial, and don’t think to tell their doctors.

Read on for detailed information:

Dietary supplements are wildly popular, but large clinical trials and other research by Fred Hutch Cancer Center shows many common dietary supplements offer little proven benefit for cancer prevention, and in some cases may even increase cancer risk or interfere with cancer treatment.

03/04/2026

Today is Triple Negative Breast Cancer Awareness Day.
Most cases are associated with hormone receptors for estrogen and progesterone and with a receptor called HER2. These receptors are not expressed in women with triple negative breast (TNBC). Unfortunately, most treatments available today are targeted at those receptors, so TNBC can be more difficult to treat, and the tumors are often more aggressive.
At Fred Hutch, we are always seeking better treatment options for TNBC. Know that can be a treatment option for you. Meet one of the patients who has had protons for TNBC: https://bit.ly/3XIi98z

03/02/2026

If you have been diagnosed with , is sometimes a good treatment option. The re**um is in close proximity to healthy tissue like the small and large intestines, bladder, bone marrow and reproductive organs. Proton therapy may be able to lower radiation exposure to these nearby organs and help reduce side effects like diarrhea, urinary problems, abnormal blood counts and sexual dysfunction.
Learn more about your protons as a treatment option: https://bit.ly/4msdL7X

02/27/2026

The Cancer Action Plan of Washington (CAPOW) has a new 5-year plan with goals that include improved health literacy; better representation in cancer research; increased prevention and screening for LGBTQIA+ individuals; better use of community health workers and better use of transportation resources. All of the goals completely align with the mission and strategic aims of the Fred Hutch Office of Community Outreach & Engagement (OCOE).

Learn about the ways Fred Hutch meets these goals and how we can help you: https://bit.ly/4ag42Pi

The Cancer Action Plan of Washington, or CAPOW, a five-year strategic plan to reduce cancer rates — and cancer deaths — in Washington state just dropped. What action is Fred Hutch taking to drop cancer rates in our state? Read on.