Our cancer research is broad and multidimensional, but we are driven by a singular goal—to mitigate the impact of cancer in people’s lives.

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Our investigators examine every angle of the disease, from screening and prevention to cancer’s genetic and genomic underpinnings. Our work explores the comparative effectiveness of cancer treatments, quality-of-life issues associated with the disease, and the economic burden of cancer at the individual, family, community, and health system level.

We have been conducting oncology clinical trials in the Kaiser Permanente delivery system since 1972, beginning with the pioneering work of Andrew Glass, MD, who founded the oncology department at Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW). Other cancer researchers have used KPNW’s comprehensive tumor registries to study cervical, breast, prostate, and other major cancers. Cancerous tissue samples, stored by the KPNW Department of Pathology since 1971, are linked to data-rich health records, providing a unique wealth of information to help scientists link lifestyle, diet, and family history to cancer risk.

We continue to carry out a wide variety of oncology trials in the real-world clinical environment of Kaiser Permanente’s Northwest and Hawaii regions. In the Northwest, this work is coordinated by Clinical Research Support Services, a centralized department within CHR that provides key support not only to our investigators, but also to KP physicians who wish to conduct research.

Featured Study

Strategies and Opportunities to Stop Colon Cancer in Priority Populations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. With timely screening, many cancers can be caught early, when treatments are most effective. But rates of CRC screening are extremely low among patients at federally qualified health centers, which serve nearly 19 million uninsured and underinsured patients annually. The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) test is a new, more convenient way to screen for colon cancer at home. We are testing an automated program for identifying patients who are due for screening and mailing FIT test kits to those patients’ homes. If we can improve cancer screening rates in this population, our program will serve as a model for other health systems.

Learn More about Mailed Fit studies

 

Gloria Coronado, PhD
Principal Investigator
Funder: National Cancer Institute

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