Cancer > Redefining Cancer Care

Redefining Cancer Care

By Mayo Clinic Photography by Alexander Zoltai

Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center is pioneering a new era of cancer care, combining decades of research and discovery with the most advanced technology to create a cancer center without walls where anyone, anywhere can receive the highest-quality care.

Building on more than five decades of important contributions to the field, Mayo Clinic is leading the transformation of cancer research and care. This work is rooted in patient-centered care, multidisciplinary team science and the translation of cutting-edge research — and it is drastically improving outcomes for patients.

Each year, more than 138,000 patients with cancer are seen at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, which treats over 200 types of cancer. With more than 360 investigators conducting research and more than 2,150 clinical trial accruals in 2024 alone, Mayo Clinic continues to set the standard for innovation and discovery.

From designing the next generation of therapies to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to advance lymphoma treatment, these innovations are redefining cancer care.

DESIGNING THE NEXT GENERATION OF THERAPIES

Radiopharmaceuticals are a type of theranostic treatment that offers significant benefits to patients with advanced cancers that do not respond to other therapies or patients who cannot undergo traditional treatment options.

Mayo Clinic, managing the highest-volume radiopharmaceutical practice in the world, is continuously developing new tools and collaborating with industry partners to develop the next generation of radioisotope imaging and treatment technologies while addressing patient access issues. These collaborations lay the groundwork for testing and applying new radiopharmaceutical treatments for patients with cancer, a priority Mayo Clinic continues to keep at the forefront of its practice.

EARLY DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF MULTIPLE MYELOMA PROGRESSION

Multiple myeloma is preceded by a common benign monoclonal plasma cell expansion called monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). In between multiple myeloma and MGUS is a third clinical entity called smoldering multiple myeloma. In this condition, there is more extensive plasma cell expansion than in MGUS, but the malignant features of multiple myeloma are not seen.

A new study aims to define the genetic events that drive multiple myeloma progression from a benign state to a malignant state. By using next-generation sequencing, researchers analyze genetic mutations and pathways linked to disease advancement. They also study how the tumor microenvironment contributes to progression. The goal is to create a genetic definition of malignant plasma cells, enabling earlier detection and intervention, ultimately transforming how the disease is diagnosed and treated.

AI MODELS ADVANCE LYMPHOMA TREATMENT

Mayo Clinic investigators are leveraging vision-language foundation models, a type of AI that simultaneously learns from images and text, such as medical scans and patient reports, for personalized care.

Working with more than two decades of data gathered from diverse national cohorts, Mayo Clinic’s team from the Lymphoma Specialized Program of Research Excellence developed a model to improve diagnostics and forecast how a patient with lymphoma might respond to therapy.

A second foundation model will examine single-cell images from blood and bone marrow for more comprehensive characterization of cellular biology to identify targets and develop predictive biomarkers for response to novel therapies.

REVOLUTIONIZING CANCER CARE DELIVERY

Mayo Clinic’s Cancer Care Beyond Walls program delivers care, including chemotherapy, directly to patients in their homes, reducing financial and logistical challenges often associated with travel to Mayo Clinic campuses.

A recent Mayo Clinic study found that the program is safe and effective, and patients with glioma undergoing chemotherapy reported high levels of satisfaction with telehealth. This unique model removes significant barriers to care, improves treatment adherence, and offers a more convenient and accessible care experience. This work reflects Mayo Clinic’s commitment to exceptional cancer care through advanced technology and personalized approaches.

Learn more about Mayo Clinic's vision for transforming cancer care.