Dr. Susan E Kutner, a surgeon at the Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, has been named to a breast cancer advisory committee of the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Kutner is the Chair of The Breast Care Task Force for Kaiser Permanente Northern California, and Chairs the Interregional Breast Care Leaders Group of the Permanente Federation. “The work of these groups is to improve the quality and access to breast care for all the members of Kaiser Permanente,” said Dr. Kutner. “As breast care has become more complex, a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to care is essential and educating our members is an important function of the work we do at KP.” Dr. Kutner will join the Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women, which will advise the CDC in developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based approaches to advance the understanding and awareness of breast cancer in young women under 40. National statistics show that only 7% of women fewer than 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer, but their tumors are sometimes found at a more advanced stage and have different growth patterns “We are learning more about these differences and how to address the needs for these women from screening to treatment to survivorship,” she said. Over the years, the average 5-year- survival rates for breast cancer have risen. According to the American Cancer Society, cancers are being found earlier and newer, more effective treatments are being used. “There are also women with multiple family members who had breast and ovarian cancer at a young age; it’s likely the patient has genetic mutations that make them susceptible to breast cancer at a young age as well” said Dr. Kutner. “Counseling these women on their options for risk reduction is very important.” Indeed, much has been made of the recent story involving actress/director/parent Angelina Jolie, who underwent a double mastectomy after discovering she carried the BRCA-1 gene alteration that raised her risk of breast cancer. Dr Kutner also works closely with breast cancer survivors, and advocates. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Breast Cancer Fund, which is dedicated to eliminating the preventable causes of breast cancer. She also has served as the Team Doctor for Breast Cancer Fund “Climb Against The Odds” expeditions up mountains on Mt Fuji, Shasta and Rainier with groups of breast cancer patients, survivors, and family members.
