Cancer Care and Collaboration:
Together, We Are Here to Heal

We treat one type of cancer—yours.
Creating an integrated, specialized approach to care that focuses on your needs and supports you through every step of your cancer journey.

A complete team to support you

A specialized team to support you


A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Having a dedicated team that specializes in your cancer type can make all the difference. Each new cancer case at Kaiser Permanente is reviewed by an integrated, specialized team, including nurses, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, and radiologists. Together, they develop a personalized care plan to get you the treatment you need. Learn more about our cancer care at kp.org/cancercare/nw. external page.

Doctor typing at computer workstation.

Top-notch treatment


We surround our patients with some of the brightest minds in medicine. Our doctors are educated and trained at top medical schools and universities. With such bright minds at work, it’s no wonder that the Thoracic Surgery Program at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center is among the nation’s highest rated for lung cancer surgery and esophagectomy according to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.1

 

We’re continually evaluating and adopting the latest treatment services to give our members the best chance of survival, including:

  • Genetic testing with next generation sequencing panels
  • Molecular testing for tumors and targeted therapy
  • Cutting-edge radiation oncology technology
2 members of patient care team speaking in hospital hallway.

Early detection


At Kaiser Permanente, we know that one of the best ways to beat cancer is by catching it early. That’s why we’re leaders in cancer screenings and our members are 20% less likely to die prematurely from cancer.2

 

We have significantly higher screening rates for preventable cancers like breast cancer, colon cancer, and cervical cancer and higher cancer survival rates for breast cancer, colon cancer and kidney cancer than the national average.3

Nurse navigator smiling from behind computer workstation.

Connecting and coordinating care


A cancer diagnosis can be a life-altering event, and often requires complex, lengthy treatments that involve several medical departments — sometimes in different locations. Our nurse navigators are with you at every step, to be your one point of contact:

  • Helping you through your care plan
  • Communicating with your care team
  • Providing information and resources

 

This level of personalized support helps you move through treatments smoothly and efficiently so you can keep your focus on healing and recovery.

Our areas of specialty

Medical professional filling syringe in research laboratory.

Research and clinical trials


We have access to one of the largest databases of medical records in the world. This depth of information gives us the knowledge and power to develop more-effective cancer treatments.

 

Our cancer team is a leader in clinical trials, testing immunotherapy, and other innovative procedures, giving you more options for cutting-edge care. In fact, Kaiser Permanente is part of one of the largest cancer clinical research groups in the country. So, no matter what challenge you’re facing, our cancer team is prepared to provide you high-quality care using the latest, most effective methods.

Physician sitting in patient treatment room.

Support services


At Kaiser Permanente, we care for the whole patient — mind, body, and spirit — with an approach backed by evidence-based medicine. Our total-body approach to wellness lets you access programs and clinics focused on emotional support, nutrition, and social services.

“The cancer care at Kaiser Permanente is really set apart by our spectrum of care. We have the ability to follow a patient from screening all the way through survivorship, where as most cancer care programs just take care of the cancer patient only while they’re getting their cancer treatment. That makes our approach to care much more comprehensive because we’re able to look at the patient as a wholistic person rather than just the treatment they’re getting during their cancer care.”

Dr. Christine Barnett Cancer Service Medical Director for Cancer Service Line and Chief of Hematology and Medical Oncology

Reference

  • Based on performance for general thoracic surgery. Analysis of national data covering the period from July 2019 through June 2022. http://publicreporting.sts.org/gtsd?title=&field_state_value=OR
  • Data provided by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2022.
  • Kaiser Permanente has superior screening rates compared to the national average for three of the most common types of cancer: breast, cervical, and colorectal. Based on 2021 HEDIS® scores. Benchmarks provided by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Quality Compass® and represent all lines of business. Kaiser Permanente combined region scores were provided by the Kaiser Permanente Department of Care and Service Quality. The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass 2021 and is used with the permission of NCQA. Quality Compass 2021 includes certain CAHPS data. Any data display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass® and HEDIS® are registered trademarks of NCQA. CAHPS® is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
  • NAPBC Standards and Resources