March 6, 2024
Joining a national effort to test new ways to find cancer
As part of the Cancer Screening Research Network, our researchers will study new screening approaches, such as blood tests that look for many cancers at once.
We’re testing new ways to find cancers earlier.
The National Cancer Institute has selected Kaiser Permanente to be part of its Cancer Screening Research Network.
The effort supports the nation’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, a White House-led initiative to reduce cancer deaths in the U.S. by half by 2047.
Studying new screening options
This is an exciting opportunity for our patients to play a critical role in the studies that will help us learn more about these screening tests. Stacey Honda, MD
The Cancer Screening Research Network will conduct studies testing new ways to find cancers earlier, when they may be easier to treat.
“Our network’s first clinical trial will study new blood tests that look for many different types of cancers at one time,” said Jeffrey K. Lee, MD, MPH, a Kaiser Permanente research scientist and gastroenterologist. “We want to learn how these tests affect our members and see if patients really do benefit or if they end up having additional tests they didn’t need.”
Improving care for members and communities
This work is an example of how Kaiser Permanente’s research may improve care not only for our members but also for people across the country.
“The link between Kaiser Permanente researchers and our integrated care and coverage can be a major attribute in large studies like this,” said Debra Ritzwoller, a co-principal investigator in the collaboration between the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Research, the Kaiser Permanente Center for Integrated Health Research, and the University of Colorado Cancer Center.
Increasing diversity in clinical trials
The research network will enroll people of all races and ethnicities in its clinical trials. In the past, medical studies often mostly included men and people who are white. This can make it hard for doctors to know if the research findings apply to all groups of people.
“Part of what makes Kaiser Permanente special is that we have so many patients contributing to cutting-edge research,” said Stacey Honda, MD, a co-principal investigator working alongside Ritzwoller and the University of Colorado Cancer Center. “This is an exciting opportunity for our patients to play a critical role in the studies that will help us learn more about these screening tests.”
Learn more about the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Screening Research Network.
