Why Kaiser Permanente for cancer treatment?
At Kaiser Permanente, you’ll have leading experts by your side every step of the way. We treat over 500,000 cancer patients each year.1 This means our doctors and specialists have a wealth of experience and expertise in cancer prevention, treatment, and recovery.
What is Kaiser’s 360-degree approach to cancer care?
Our 360-degree approach to cancer care includes earlier detection and a broad range of treatment options, including access to clinical trials. Cancer patients at Kaiser Permanente are living longer and better thanks to our integrated model. Patients like Carol Pitman are living longer, more fulfilling lives thanks …
How can I get help if I have cancer?
Talking with other people who have cancer can be very helpful. Support can come from your family and friends, health professionals, support groups, or your church. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Just telling your story and talking about your fears to someone else can help you feel better.
What happens in a Cancer Support Group?
Some support groups are only for people who have cancer. Others are for their loved ones. These groups offer practical advice and emotional support. In a cancer support group, you will share: What it is like to have cancer. What new treatments are available. Practical ways to manage your cancer treatment and its side effects.
How good is Kaiser for cancer treatment?
When it comes to treating cancer, studies show that Kaiser Permanente has a comparable amount of cancer patients to the other carriers in California. However, Kaiser Permanente has way more stage 1 and stage 2 patients, and the other carriers have way more stage 3 and stage 4 cancer patients.
How do I choose the best treatment for cancer?
Consider these issues before choosing a cancer treatment center:How much experience does the center have treating your type of cancer? How effective has it been with those treatments?How close is it to your home or office?What support services does it offer? ... Does the center offer clinical trials?
What factors do you think an oncologist would consider in deciding upon a treatment plan for a particular patient?
Consider the risks and benefits of each treatment optionChance of a cure.Potential short- and long-term side effects.Likelihood that the cancer will come back after treatment.Chances of living longer with or without treatment.Effect on your quality of life and independence.Preferences of you and your family.
What is the treatment for aggressive cancer?
Aggressive, systemic treatment of metastatic cancer has evolved over time. For decades, it primarily involved chemotherapy, as well as hormone treatments for cancers like breast and prostate, but now includes a growing number of targeted therapies and immunotherapy.
How long can you live with metastatic cancer?
A patient with widespread metastasis or with metastasis to the lymph nodes has a life expectancy of less than six weeks. A patient with metastasis to the brain has a more variable life expectancy (one to 16 months) depending on the number and location of lesions and the specifics of treatment.
What is the best cancer hospital in the world?
MD Anderson Cancer CenterWorld's Best Specialized Hospitals 2021RankHospitalScore1MD Anderson Cancer Center100.0%2Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center99.2%3Dana-Farber Cancer Institute98.0%4Mayo Clinic - Rochester97.0%73 more rows
What should a doctor consider before deciding on a treatment option?
When making any treatment decision, you should consider the risks, benefits, and supporting evidence for the treatment. In addition, you should consider if the treatment is compatible with your personal values and preferences and if it is accessible at a reasonable cost.
How do you discuss treatment options?
It is appropriate to personalize the risks of treatment according to the patient's age and other risk factors. Consider relevant patient values. First, listen to the patient. Their questions and comments are a reflection of their concerns based on their values.
What is the success rate of radiation therapy?
“In fact, based on the literature reviewed, it appears that external-beam radiation therapy is a superior treatment in some cases. “When patients are treated with modern external-beam radiation therapy, the overall cure rate was 93.3% with a metastasis-free survival rate at 5 years of 96.9%.
Does chemo work better on aggressive cancer?
To treat cancer cells with chemotherapy, your doctor will determine the best cellular phases in which to administer your treatment. Since cancer cells multiply or divide quickly, chemo may be considered a first line of treatment for more aggressive forms of cancer.
What is the most aggressive type of cancer?
Lung cancer is the most aggressive form of cancer. Smoking and tobacco use are the major causes of it. Low-dose CT scans, which can detect cancer earlier, have improved survival rates for those with lung cancer, even among heavy smokers.
What stage is aggressive cancer?
Cancer grades grade 1 – cancer cells that resemble normal cells and aren't growing rapidly. grade 2 – cancer cells that don't look like normal cells and are growing faster than normal cells. grade 3 – cancer cells that look abnormal and may grow or spread more aggressively.
What is the best way to fight cancer?
In the United States, at least 42% of newly diagnosed cancers were potentially avoidable.1 Your best defense against most cancers is a healthy lifestyle and early diagnosis.
Can cancer be detected early?
Many of the most common forms of cancer, including breast, cervical, prostate, and colon cancer, can be detected early — leading to better outcomes. And our research shows certain types of cancer affect racial and ethnic groups differently, which supports starting screenings earlier for those who may be at a higher risk.3
Dedicated to you and your successful recovery
There are no days off in the fight against cancer. When you’re faced with a cancer diagnosis, you need full support from a dedicated care team.
Recovery
To learn about specific types of cancer, visit our health encyclopedia.
Need help?
1 "Destination Health: Stopping Cancer Before It Starts,” Permanente.org, January 21, 2020.
How can you become an active patient?
There are many ways to become more active and involved in your care. Here are some ideas:
What questions do people ask?
It can be hard to think clearly at the doctor's office, especially when the subject is as serious and complex as cancer. So it's a good idea to write down the questions you want to ask and bring the list with you.
How can you find reliable information?
Most people search the Internet for information about cancer. That can be confusing because some online information isn't true or isn't based on sound medical research. But there are ways to find good information.
What can you do about getting test results?
Waiting to hear about a result that could change your life may be one of the hardest things about cancer treatment.
Your Care Instructions
When you have cancer, you may feel confused, alone, and scared. Your loved ones may feel this way too. But you are not alone. Other people are also going through the same thing. They know how you feel.
How can you care for yourself at home?
Cancer support groups meet often to talk about cancer and ways to cope with it. Some support groups are only for people who have cancer. Others are for their loved ones. These groups offer practical advice and emotional support.
When should you call for help?
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.
Where can you learn more?
Enter Y531 in the search box to learn more about "Cancer Support: Care Instructions".
Cancer Care
The Mid-Atlantic Kaiser Permanente Cancer Care Institute provides patients with exceptional care when confronted with cancer. We are at your side though diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and survivorship care. We provide a personalized and empathetic touch, and ensure patients and their families are active participants in all decisions.
A Team Approach to Diagnosing and Treating Breast Cancer
Radiologist Kunal Kothari, MD, explains how patients with a cancer finding on a mammography can be seen quickly to start treatment options, leading to better outcomes.
Experienced Oncologists and Hematologists
The Cancer Care Institute includes board-certified hematologists and oncologists. All of our oncologists and hematologists furthered their education through fellowships, including at the National Institutes of Health and some of the nation’s preeminent cancer centers.
Excellence & Innovation
If all doctors in the U.S. screened their patients for colorectal cancer the way we do, more than 9,000 lives would be saved every year 1
Why Choose Permanente Medicine
When you trust your care to Permanente oncologists and hematologists, you get a team of excellent, innovative and experienced doctors. Our physicians use a patient-first approach to medicine that will help you overcome your medical challenges. We use treatments and medications that precisely address your condition.
Our Approach
Our oncologists are by your side every step of the way as you navigate a cancer diagnosis. We focus on finding the best treatment for your condition, whether that is traditional chemotherapy, surgery, advanced biological therapies or immunotherapies.
Not already a Kaiser Permanente member?
Our oncologists and hematologists only see Kaiser Permanente members, so shop plans today!
Action plan examples
Below are two examples of action plans for getting more physical activity. One plan is too general and the other is action specific. The action-specific plan outlines steps the person will take to meet the goal. Which do you think is more likely to help this person succeed?
My weekly action plan for getting more physical activity
What am I going to do? Too general: I want to start exercising more. Action-specific: I will start taking a water aerobics class.
Start your own action plan
Open and print this action plan form (PDF) to use, or create one of your own.
Keep track of your progress
Check in with your action plan each day to see how you're doing. Congratulate yourself on what you've achieved and make a note of what didn't work as well as you hoped. If things went well, you might want to stretch your goals by doing more of the things that work.
Example check-in
Week of 6/22 Friday, 6/26: I did it! What worked, what didn’t: Rainy weather made it harder to leave the house. But I didn't want to let Sally down, so I was ready when she came to pick me up. We got to class on time and I felt great afterwards. I got exercise and had fun too.