"Fred Hutch Cancer Center" "Cures Start Here"

Todd Yezefski, MD, MS

Provider

Todd Yezefski, MD, MS

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

Specialty:

Medical Oncology

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“What I love most about my practice is my interactions with patients and families: getting to know them, making decisions together and guiding them through challenging times. ”

— Dr. Yezefski

What sparked your interest in oncology?

When I was in college, my former bike racing coach developed cancer. He had a big influence on my childhood, and his diagnosis was the first time cancer affected someone in my inner circle. During college, I also began to learn about cancer biology in my classes; the molecular behavior of tumor cells fascinated me. The blending of those two experiences, the personal and the intellectual, led me to pursue oncology as a career. At first, I was intent on doing laboratory cancer research, but in graduate school, I soon realized that wasn’t going to be a good fit — I wanted to work directly with the people whose lives I was hoping to improve. So I switched paths and became a medical oncologist. What I love most about my practice is my interactions with patients and families: getting to know them, making decisions together and guiding them through challenging times.

What do patients appreciate about working with you?

I believe it’s important for you to feel comfortable with your care team and be well-informed about your medical situation. This sense of comfort facilitates our partnership and allows you to play an active role in making decisions. One of the most important things I can do as your oncologist is to learn about your life, what your goals and priorities are and what you enjoy doing. Often, there are different options for cancer treatment; each one may have trade-offs and can affect you differently, so knowing what you value most can help us choose the treatment pathway that’s right for you.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Genitourinary cancers

I am a board-certified medical oncologist who specializes in treating patients with genitourinary malignancies, which include cancers affecting the urinary or male reproductive system. My research interests are centered on clinical trials to develop new and better therapies for patients with prostate, bladder and testicular cancers.

Diseases Treated

Penile Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Testicular Cancer

Languages

English

Education, Experience and Certifications

Undergraduate Degree
University of Chicago

Medical Degree
Tufts University School of Medicine

Residency
University of Washington, Internal Medicine

Fellowship
University of Washington, Hematology & Oncology

Board Certification
Medical Oncology, 2018; Hematology, 2018; Internal Medicine, 2015, American Board of Internal 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.

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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. Yezefski'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.

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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.

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