"Fred Hutch Cancer Center" "Cures Start Here"

Natalie J. Miller, MD, PhD

Provider

Natalie J. Miller, MD, PhD

Physician, Fred Hutch
Assistant Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

Specialty:

Hematology-Oncology

Request an Appointment Print

“I want to be sure from the very first visit that all patients get the information they need to understand their diagnosis, what it means and their treatment options. We can then work together to accomplish their goals.”

— Dr. Miller

What do you value about providing care to people with cancer?

My parents were both diagnosed with cancer and have gone through surgery, radiation treatment and medicines to be here today. I know how emotional a diagnosis can be for a patient and their family and the stress and uncertainty of what the future may hold. I’ve also seen how challenging getting care can be. From scheduling treatments to taking time off and making long trips to the doctor, having cancer can be a full-time job. I do my best every day to treat patients like family members, with extra attention toward easing these stressors.

What do you hope it’s like for a patient to work with you? Do you have any interesting stories to share?

I like to think proactively, and that includes considering what treatments may be available in the future. That’s just one of the reasons why Fred Hutch is so special. We lead many clinical trials of new therapies that aim to improve treatment outcomes, and I always keep patients in mind for studies.

A patient came to us with a large melanoma. Treating it with surgery would have required removing most of his ear and other parts of his face. We instead offered treatment with immunotherapy, with the goal of shrinking the tumor enough to allow a surgery that wasn’t disfiguring. The patient was nervous about the potential side effects of these medicines, and we spent a lot of extra time discussing these in detail, including plans to manage anything that came up. After starting treatment, his tumor became dramatically smaller and eventually disappeared. He never needed surgery and is now considered cancer-free. This is quite a common story for many patients benefiting from immunotherapy for non-metastatic skin cancers.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma

I am a medical oncologist and clinical researcher who sees patients at the South Lake Union Clinic, Fred Hutch at UW Medical Center - Montlake and UW Medical Center - Northwest.

Skin and kidney cancers are both likely to respond to immunotherapy, which are treatments that use a patient's own immune system against cancer instead of chemotherapy. I started working in cancer research before immunotherapies were widely used and have been amazed to see how effective they are. I've dedicated my career to improving these therapies further and translating this research into treatments for other cancer types.

Diseases Treated

Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Languages

English

Education, Experience and Certifications

Undergraduate Degree
Lewis and Clark College

Medical Degree
University of Washington School of Medicine

Residency
University of Washington School of Medicine, Internal Medicine

Fellowship
University of Washington School of Medicine/Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Hematology and Oncology

Board Certification
Internal Medicine, 2021; Medical Oncology, 2024, American Board of Internal Medicine

Other
PhD, University of Washington School of Medicine

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch physicians. Many of these trials at Fred Hutch have led to FDA-approved treatments and have improved standards of care globally. Together, you and your physician can decide if a study is right for you.

View Clinical Trials

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians conduct ongoing research to improve standards of patient care. Their work is evaluated by other physicians and selected for publication to the United States National Library of Medicine, the largest medical library in the world. See scientific papers this Fred Hutch physician has written.

View Dr. Miller's Publications

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.

Meet Other Providers

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.

More About Insurance