Cancer Care

At Kaiser Permanente, we believe in creating a human connection with each person, to heal, to comfort, and to walk life’s journey as partners in health.

This website is designed for YOU. You will find information and tools to help inspire, inform, and guide as you move toward recovery, and back to your best life.

YOU are the most important member of the health care team. We have a team standing behind you. Take a look at our cancer care team and the library of resources that are available to support our patients.

Cancer care is our passion

Cancer Care Team

As you begin your cancer journey, you can be confident that there will be a highly skilled team to support you.

You are the most important member of the health care team. You will receive multidisciplinary care that is coordinated between specialized physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, social workers, and more.

Always keeping you and your individualized needs at the center, your team will include:

• Physicians and Surgeons specialize in each type of cancer and the treatment needs unique to your diagnosis. They may include:
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • General Surgery
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Head and Neck Surgery
  • Neurosurgery
  • Thoracic Surgery
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Interventional Radiology
  • Palliative Care
  • Gynecologic Oncology
  • Urology

  Visit KP.org to search for physicians in each specialty.

• Registered nurses provide physical and emotional care and educational support to you and your family throughout your cancer treatment.
  • Oncology Registered Nurses are licensed health care professionals who specialize in cancer care. These registered nurses may care for you during your hospital stay, clinic treatments or at home.
  • Cancer Care Coordinators have specialized training and certification in caring for cancer patients. Their role is to provide a link between you, your doctor, and other members of the care team. These nursing professionals ensure you have the education, support, and resources you need to make informed choices. From the time you are diagnosed, your nurse is available as a dedicated member to facilitate personalized care for you and your family.
  • Infusion Center Nurses give chemotherapy and biologic drugs and use their additional training to skillfully assess, monitor and manage treatment side effects. They will let you know what to expect, teach you how to reduce side effects, and how to take care of yourself at home.
  • Research Study Nurses enroll you in clinical trials and provide education and support to you throughout the course of the trial.
• Oncology Pharmacists have a vital role in the health care team. Pharmacists possess specialized knowledge about medications and how they work to fight cancer. They work with the medical and nursing staff to maximize the benefits of drug therapy while trying to minimize toxicities. Pharmacists also help coordinate the complete medication plan, from inpatient chemotherapy infusions to what medications need to be taken at home. Additionally, oncology pharmacists work with the health care team to educate patients about what to expect during treatment and ensure that each medication is given at the right time and dosed correctly.
• Oncology Social Workers help patients, families, and caregivers deal with the experience of facing cancer. Social workers are educated and skilled to assist with the psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual issues that people have to deal with in oncology. Social workers are there to help people with practical needs, like finding resources in the institution and the community, and with such complex needs such as adjusting to an illness, dealing with transitions and decision-making, navigating cultural issues, and communicating with family members, friends, and health care providers. Social workers meet with patients and family members individually and/or as a family, run support and education groups, and work as part of oncology care teams.
• Registered Dietitians are health care professionals trained in food, nutrition, biochemistry and physiology. A dietitian can provide guidance in a healthy diet and changes that may be appropriate as you go through your treatment. They are available for individual counseling and also provide group lectures on nutrition specific to cancer treatment side effects.
• Cancer Care Support Coordinator is a professional trained in non-clinical care needs associated with a cancer diagnosis. This specially trained member of the team will help you with coordinating diagnostic and treatment appointments, durable medical equipment, and provides a link to Kaiser Permanente and community resources.

Library of Resources

Facing a new diagnosis of cancer may seem overwhelming; but there are steps you can take to move forward and thrive in mind, body, and spirit. This library is designed to provide you with easy access to resources and information that you may find helpful during your cancer journey. You will find information specific to your cancer type, its treatment, and supportive care available to you.

Acute Lymphoid Leukemia
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Bladder Cancer
Brain Cancer
Breast Cancer
Cervical Cancer
Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Colon/Rectal Cancer
Esophageal Cancer
Gastric (Stomach) Cancer
Head and Neck Cancers
Hodgkin Lymphoma
Kidney Cancer
Laryngeal Cancer
Liver and Bile Duct Cancer (Hepatobiliary Cancers)
Lung Cancer
Melanoma of the Skin
Mesothelioma
Multiple Myeloma
Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Ovarian Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Sarcoma
Skin (non-Melanoma)
Testicular Cancer
Thyroid Cancer
Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer