"Fred Hutch Cancer Center" "Cures Start Here"

Douglas Wood, MD, FACS, FRCS

Provider

Douglas Wood, MD, FACS, FRCS

Physician, Fred Hutch
Chair, Department of Surgery, UW Medicine

Specialty:

Surgery

Fred Hutch at UW Medical Center - Montlake

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“My goal is to get your work-up completed and a treatment plan defined within a few days of your very first phone call to our office.”

— Dr. Wood

How do you approach care?

For every patient I see, I try to take care of you as if you were a member of my own family. I strongly believe in giving you a prompt and efficient evaluation and clear explanations. Understanding all of your options helps you make good decisions about your care. One of the most important thing we can do as your care team is to complete your work-up and then define a treatment plan for you within a few days of your first phone call to our office so that you have the answers you need to move forward.

What has your journey been as a surgeon?

After completing my training in Massachusetts, I was recruited to Seattle to head a new general thoracic surgery section at UW Medicine, now the leading referral center for patients from all over the Pacific Northwest. Since coming here, I’ve earned a reputation as a national and international expert in the management of complex airway disease, end-stage lung disease and thoracic cancers and become the chair of the UW Department of Surgery. Along with treating patients, I’m also a professor who is passionate about training tomorrow’s surgeons. I hold the Henry N. Harkins Endowed Chair in Surgery at UW and have been a visiting professor at over 50 institutions worldwide. Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to play a major role in surgical and oncologic organizations, including as president of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Thoracic cancers, lung cancer, esophageal cancer

I am a board-certified surgeon who sees patients at Fred Hutch at UW Medical Center - Montlake. My clinical expertise is in thoracic surgery and thoracic oncology, which includes not only the lungs, but also other structures of the chest, such as the esophagus, the mediastinum and the chest wall. The diseases I treat include esophageal cancer, sarcoma, mesothelioma and pulmonary and respiratory diseases.

Lung Cancer
Lung cancer care is a main focus of my work at Fred Hutch as well as nationally and internationally. I’ve served as chair of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Lung Cancer Screening Panel and vice-chair of the NCCN Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Panel. These panels develop guidelines to help ensure people around the country who are at risk for or have lung cancer get screenings and treatments that are supported by evidence and approved by experts in the field. I also work extensively on noncancerous lung diseases, including emphysema. In addition to my clinical work, I’m also a scientist, with more than 20 research grants and 200 publications.

Diseases Treated

Esophageal Cancer

Languages

English

Education, Experience and Certifications

Medical Degree
Harvard Medical School

Residency
Massachusetts General Hospital, General Surgery

Fellowship
Massachusetts General Hospital, General Surgery

Board Certification
Surgical Critial Care, 2004, American Board of Surgery
Thoracic Surgery, 1993, American Board of Thoracic Surgery
Surgery, 1990, American Board of Surgery

Awards

Seattle Met's 2022 Top Doctors award
Dr. Wood has received this peer-nominated award for his exceptional patient care multiple years in a row.

Seattle magazine's 2021 Top Doctors award
Dr. Wood has been recognized as a Top Doctor in this peer-nominated award multiple years in a row.

Distinguished Service Award
Presented in 2019 by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons in honor of his outstanding work and significant contributions.

Stories

All news

As a cancer researcher contends with lung cancer, immunotherapy plays a critical role

As a cancer researcher contends with lung cancer, immunotherapy plays a critical role September 26, 2019

'Catching things early': SCCA's lung cancer screening program finds and treats cancer before symptoms arise

'Catching things early': SCCA's lung cancer screening program finds and treats cancer before symptoms arise January 10, 2019

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. Wood'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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