Dr. Madsen is a board-certified radiation oncologist, joining the Pacific Cancer Institute team in December 2020. She received her Bachelor of Arts in human biology from Stanford University in Stanford, California, and her medical doctorate from Stanford University School of Medicine. She completed her internship at the Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center (now California Pacific Medical Center) in San Francisco, California, and her residency in radiation oncology at Stanford University Medical Center. After her residency, Dr. Madsen worked at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle for 15 years before founding a freestanding radiation oncology clinic across the Puget Sound from Seattle, which was recently acquired by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
“After helping with the transition, I decided to slow down a bit,” said Madsen. “I moved to Maui and am happy to work part-time to support the excellent care provided at Pacific Cancer Institute.”
Dr. Madsen chose the field of oncology because, while she was an undergraduate at Stanford, she was lucky enough to take a Human Biology course called, “The Biosocial Aspects of Cancer” taught by some of the pioneers of oncology. She was very inspired and remembered how fascinating the field was when she returned as a medical student and rotated in the oncology clinics. She was particularly captured by the field of radiation oncology because it is such a great blend of the art of medicine with technology and she still feels that way now, almost 30 years later.
When asked what she enjoys most about her role as a radiation oncologist, Dr. Madsen replied, “I enjoy working with patients and their families the most. It gives me great pleasure to help guide patients through the medical system and the cancer experience. I also enjoy the comradery of a great treatment team; the clinic staff and the referring providers, the pathologists, radiologists, and others that we work with in the interest of our patients.”
Dr. Madsen has been awarded numerous honors, has presented her research at local and national meetings, and has authored several publications in peer-reviewed publications. She is a member of several professional societies including the American College of Radiology (ACR), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the American Medical Association (AMA), the Washington State Medical Society, the Washington State Radiological Society, and the Kitsap County Medical Society.
As a woman in the field of radiation oncology, Dr. Madsen has always had an affinity for the cancers that affect women, such as breast cancer and gynecologic cancers, but is comfortable taking care of any patient with cancer.
In her spare time, Dr. Madsen enjoys gardening and traveling with her husband.
“I live on a small farm in Hana, Maui where my husband and I grow much of our own food and a crop of cacao that we sell to local chocolate makers,” said Madsen. “As they say, the work is never done on a farm. We also often travel to Alaska, where we enjoy the great outdoors together.”