"Fred Hutch Cancer Center" "Cures Start Here"

Cristina M. Ghiuzeli, MD

Provider

Cristina M. Ghiuzeli, MD

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

Specialty:

Hematology

Hematology-Oncology

South Lake Union Clinic

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“While it’s important to be a teacher, helping people understand their diagnosis and treatment, it’s just as important to be a good listener — to understand who a person is and what they value.”

— Dr. Ghiuzeli

Tell us about an interaction with a patient that had a significant impact on you.

I was caring for a patient who had been diagnosed with a high-risk form of leukemia. Chemotherapy alone wasn’t going to be enough; there was a high risk that the disease would come back, so I referred her for a stem cell transplant. Before a transplant can be done, several procedures must be completed. Time was of the essence, due to the aggressive nature of her cancer, so I contacted multiple physicians to arrange appointments for the procedures. But I found out later that she didn’t keep those appointments. The next time I saw her, we sat down and had a heart-to-heart. She shared with me that she had delayed her care because she was really scared about getting a transplant. We spent time that day talking through those fears, and I explained in more depth the sense of urgency in moving forward. In the end, she felt better prepared to follow through with our treatment plan. Now, she’s a year out from her transplant, in remission and doing well. Sometimes it’s helpful to take a step back and talk about what’s happening from an emotional standpoint. Open, honest communication is central to a successful physician-patient partnership.

What personal experiences have informed your approach to care?

One of the most influential people in my life was my grandfather. I was very close to him; he helped raise me along with my parents. When I was a senior in high school, he developed pancreatic cancer. It progressed so quickly that he died not long after being diagnosed. It was shocking and devasting for my whole family. My goal as a physician is to treat patients the way I would want my own loved ones to be treated in the midst of a medical crisis: with empathy, respect and patience. While it’s important to be a teacher, helping people understand their diagnosis and treatment, it’s just as important to be a good listener — to understand who a person is and what they value.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Acute leukemias, hematologic malignancies, other myeloid malignancies

I am a board-certified hematologist with experience caring for patients who have both malignant and benign blood-related diseases. Before joining Fred Hutch, I was an attending physician for more than 10 years at North Shore University Hospital in New York. My background also includes serving as a principal investigator on clinical trials studying treatments for leukemia, lymphoma and other diseases. In my current practice, I work with patients who have acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes and other aggressive myeloid malignancies (cancers that affect cells in the blood and bone marrow).

Diseases Treated

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Aplastic Anemia

Blood Disorders

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Essential Thrombocytosis

Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Languages

English
Spanish
Romanian

Education, Experience and Certifications

Undergraduate Degree
University of California, Los Angeles

Medical Degree
Yeshiva University, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Residency
Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Hematology-Oncology

Fellowship
Montefiore Medical Center, Hematology-Oncology

Board Certification
Internal Medicine, 2006; Oncology, 2010; Hematology, 2010, 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.

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. Ghiuzeli'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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