International hematology expert Dr. John Pagel recruited to expand Swedish’s treatment for, and research on, blood cancers
SEATTLE — September 8, 2014 — The Swedish Cancer Institute is launching a Hematologic Malignancies program for the expanded treatment and research of blood-based cancers such as leukemia, multiple myeloma and lymphoma. Newly recruited international hematology expert John Pagel, M.D., Ph.D., will serve as chief of the new program, which launches this month.
“Dr. Pagel brings with him a world-class reputation for research and excellence in patient care,” said Swedish Cancer Institute Executive Director Thomas Brown, M.D. “This new program will add to our existing strengths in caring for patients with hematologic malignancies and further develop our autologous hematopoietic stem cell program. These efforts allow the Swedish Cancer Institute to continue providing the most versatile and comprehensive cancer care in the Pacific Northwest.”
Dr. Pagel’s practice will include caring for patients with acute and chronic leukemias, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and myelodysplastic syndromes, as well as other myeloproliferative disorders. In addition to providing established treatments such as autologous stem cell transplants, the program will develop novel therapies for the treatment of blood-based diseases through research collaborations and studies initiated by Swedish Cancer Institute physicians.
Dr. Pagel joined the Swedish Cancer Institute on Sept. 2 and is leading an expert group of hematologic malignancy clinicians. The Hematologic Malignancies program will combine clinical and key elements of translational science research with the extraordinary care that Swedish Cancer Institute patients are accustomed to receiving. One hallmark of the program will be its integrated approach with the Swedish Cancer Institute’s Personalized Medicine Program. This approach will assist the hematologic malignancies team in identifying or developing personalized treatment options for patients based on their individual cancer’s genomic profile.
“I am incredibly excited to be joining the team at the Swedish Cancer Institute,” Dr. Pagel said. “The work being done here is life-changing for patients and I am looking forward to developing a program that will deliver new advancements in cancer treatment for patients in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.”
Prior to joining Swedish, Dr. Pagel spent more than a decade as an associate member of the Clinical Research Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and associate professor in the Medical Oncology Division at the University of Washington. Since 2001, he has also served as the attending physician on the hematopoietic cell transplantation and hematologic malignancy services, as well as serving as a clinic attending physician at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Dr. Pagel received his medical degree from the Boston University School of Medicine, his doctorate in microbiology and molecular genetics from the University of California, Irvine, and his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Swedish Cancer Institute is a non-university research based clinical cancer practice with nine multidisciplinary disease site programs: Breast, Gastro-Intestinal, Genitourinary, Gynecologic Oncology, Head & Neck, Hematologic Malignancies, Neurologic Oncology, Sarcoma/Melanoma, and Thoracic.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Pagel, please call his clinic at (206) 215-3245.
About The Swedish Cancer Institute
As a Seattle-area leader in diagnosis, treatment and recovery since 1932, the Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) cancer care network offers services to help patients fight cancer. SCI has cared for more patients than any other Northwest cancer-treatment center, with treatment services offered in seven locations that give patients options close to home. In 2009, Swedish launched its first program to map the gene activity in brain tumors at its Ben & Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment. In addition to providing patients access to the latest in approved cancer treatments, Swedish is also one of the largest clinical-trial sites in the Western United States, with more than 700 active trials, including about 200 associated with SCI. This provides patients with access to the latest in treatment options that could provide the ideal approach to fighting their own individual cancers. SCI’s team is made up of world-class oncologists focused on cancer care and treatment, using medication, radiation and other therapies, while offering complimentary services that address patients’ psychological, emotional and spiritual needs. For more information on SCI’s Personalized Medicine Program, visit www.swedish.org/cancer.
About Swedish
Founded in 1910, Swedish is the largest nonprofit healthcare provider in the Greater Seattle area. It is comprised of five hospital campuses (First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard, Edmonds and Issaquah); ambulatory care centers in Redmond and Mill Creek; and Swedish Medical Group, a network of more than 100 primary-care and specialty clinics located throughout the Greater Puget Sound area. In addition to general medical and surgical care including robotic-assisted surgery, Swedish is known as a regional referral center, providing specialized treatment in areas such as cardiovascular care, cancer care, neuroscience, orthopedics, high-risk obstetrics, pediatric specialties, organ transplantation and clinical research. In 2013, Swedish provided nearly $143 million in community benefit in Western Washington. For more information, visit www.swedish.org, www.facebook.com/swedishmedicalcenter, or www.twitter.com/swedish.
