Peter S. Nelson, MD

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Nelson
Peter S. Nelson, MD

Peter S. Nelson, MD

  • Vice President, Precision Oncology, Fred Hutch
  • Director, Stuart and Molly Sloan Precision Oncology Institute, Fred Hutch
  • Genitourinary Oncology Clinical Research Director, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Human Biology Division, Clinical Research Division and Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

Medical Oncology

 Print

“I work to understand what triggers prostate cancer and how it develops so we can improve therapies and discover new treatment targets.”

— Dr. Nelson

What are your areas of clinical focus and goals?

I am focused on research into and treatment of prostate cancer. From just about every angle, it is a fascinating disease to study, and it also has major societal implications because it's so common. Studies have shown that if a man lives long enough, he is almost certain to develop prostate cancer. But the vast majority of the time, these cancers turn out to be the indolent (slow-growing) kind. One of our major goals is to identify molecular markers in the body that indicate which prostate tumors are destined to be aggressive. 

What are some of the challenges of your work?

Identifying new, precise ways to individualize care is one of the major challenges. Does someone have the kind of cancer that is lethal versus the kind of cancer where you say, “Well, we found a cancer, but you don't need to worry about this?” Not every tumor looks the same, and there are many ways for a normal prostate cell to evolve to become a cancer cell and ultimately develop resistance to therapy.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Genitourinary cancers

I am a physician who sees patients at the South Lake Union Clinic.

I want to understand how prostate cancers develop, why therapies become ineffective over time and why there's so much variability in responses among patients. I’m also working to better understand the role of aging and male hormones, such as testosterone, in prostate cancer development.

Diseases Treated

Prostate Cancer

Languages

English

Education, Experience and Certifications

Undergraduate Degree
University of Kansas

Medical Degree
University of Kansas, School of Medicine

Residency
University of Kansas Medical Center

Fellowship
Univeristy of Washington, Medical Oncology

Board Certification
Internal Medicine, 1989; Medical Oncology, 2018, American Board of Internal Medicine

Stories

All news
Fred Hutch expands its research capacity in South Lake Union
Fred Hutch expands its research capacity in South Lake Union Three new buildings will boost recruitment and strengthen science October 8, 2024
A quarter century of lifesaving discoveries in prostate cancer
A quarter century of lifesaving discoveries in prostate cancer Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer SPORE insights have transformed patient care and understanding of prostate cancer biology, supported drug discovery worldwide August 12, 2024
Fred Hutch launches rare cancer research effort
Fred Hutch launches rare cancer research effort New TRACER initiative aims to accelerate advances through multidisciplinary collaboration and innovative approaches February 9, 2024

Clinical Trials

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.

Find a Clinical Trial Led by Dr. Nelson

Publications

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. Nelson's Publications

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