Cancer > 5 Strategies Advancing Cancer Research and Treatment

5 Strategies Advancing Cancer Research and Treatment

By Mayo Clinic Photography by Matthew Meyer

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At Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, cancer care is changing faster than ever. New blood tests are helping physicians match patients to the right therapies. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming follow-up care. Carbon ion radiation is creating new possibilities for hard-to-treat tumors. Every advance in cancer research has one purpose: helping patients live longer, healthier lives. 

Mayo Clinic is home to one of the largest and most influential comprehensive cancer centers in the world — the nation’s only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center with three locations in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. For more than 50 years, Mayo Clinic has transformed cancer care through multidisciplinary collaboration, finding new and better ways to prevent, intercept, diagnose and treat cancer. 

Ahead, explore powerful examples of how Mayo Clinic is advancing cancer research and treatment, enhancing early detection, designing the next generation of cancer therapies, and expanding access to care.

Smarter Blood Test for Cancer Treatment

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a blood test that reveals how cancer interacts with its surrounding environment, helping physicians choose the most effective treatment, with strong potential across multiple cancer types.

Today, clinicians often cannot predict who will benefit from immunotherapy because most tests look only at tumor cells. This new test goes further. Researchers mapped key “neighborhoods” of immune and support cells and used artificial intelligence to detect those patterns in DNA fragments circulating in blood.

With a single blood draw, physicians can better predict whether a patient will respond to immunotherapy or if another treatment should be considered. In studies of more than 1,300 patients across several cancers, the test outperformed standard tools. This approach helps physicians guide patients away from ineffective treatments and unnecessary side effects and move them more quickly to therapies that work.

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New Era in Lung Cancer Treatment

Recent years have seen remarkable improvements in lung cancer outcomes driven by advances in diagnostics, novel therapeutics and multidisciplinary care. One of the most significant shifts has been the move toward personalized treatment strategies.

Innovations such as molecular genotyping, genetic testing, radiomics and artificial intelligence are enhancing diagnostic capabilities, offering deeper insight into tumor biology, clinical stage and patient-specific factors. At Mayo Clinic, this diagnostic insight is accelerating the development and application of novel cancer therapeutics, ensuring innovations are translated quickly into personalized patient care.

Lung cancer is not the same disease we treated a decade ago. Outcomes have improved substantially, and a growing number of patients — even those with stage 4 disease — are living longer, better lives. Some may even be cured.

— Vamsi Velcheti, M.D., Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center site director of Clinical Trials

Carbon ion radiation therapy represents a new frontier in precision care, delivering highly targeted radiation that may improve outcomes while minimizing side effects. Its potential to synergize with immunotherapy may enhance the immune system’s ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. Mayo Clinic in Florida is building the first carbon ion therapy facility in the Americas, located inside the Duan Family Building, scheduled to begin treating patients in 2028.

Immunotherapy continues to evolve through clinical trials exploring chimeric antigen receptor-T cell (CAR-T) therapy, engineered immune cells and mRNA-based therapeutics. Together, these innovations are redefining lung cancer care, improving outcomes and offering new hope to patients.

Data-Driven Prostate Cancer Surveillance

Traditional follow-up care after prostate cancer treatment relies on a standard schedule and manual review, which can be time-consuming and delay care.

To improve this process, Mayo Clinic investigators developed the PSA Control Tower, an intelligent system designed to transform post-treatment monitoring. After therapy, physicians monitor prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and watch for signs the cancer may return. The PSA Control Tower continuously analyzes these results, helping care teams identify changes earlier and allowing them to focus their expertise where it is needed most.

Powered by Mayo Clinic Platform, the system securely analyzes large volumes of de-identified data to build and refine predictive models over time. By combining advanced technology with expert clinical judgment and compassionate care, Mayo Clinic is creating a more reliable, personalized and proactive approach to prostate cancer follow-up.

Bringing World-Class Glioma Care Closer to Home

As a global leader in neurology, neurosurgery and cancer care, Mayo Clinic is advancing new ways to deliver expert glioma care to patients who may not have access to high-volume specialty centers. While care at these centers is linked to better survival, travel can be a significant barrier. To close this gap, Mayo Clinic’s neuro-oncology team is expanding the use of telehealth and remote assessments to bring specialized care closer to home.

Researchers are studying the feasibility of remotely evaluating cognitive function in patients who have received cranial radiation, an essential but potentially cognitively impactful brain tumor treatment. Using Mayo Test Drive, a secure web-based platform, patients complete self-administered assessments while researchers study whether interventions such as metformin and physical activity may help protect cognition. Additional studies are evaluating patient satisfaction with telehealth visits and the feasibility of remotely managing chemotherapy. Together, these efforts reflect Mayo Clinic’s commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality brain tumor treatment to patients anywhere.

First-in-Human Targeted Radiotherapy for Liver Cancer

Mayo Clinic has become the first institution to treat a patient with liver cancer using a promising investigational radioactive therapy in a first-in-human clinical trial. The therapy targets glypican-3, a protein found on liver cancer cells but not on healthy adult liver tissue. By focusing on this protein, the treatment is designed to precisely locate and destroy cancer cells while limiting damage to normal tissue.

This novel approach combines advanced imaging and targeted radiation in a single treatment, allowing physicians to see the cancer and treat it at the same time. Early imaging shows the therapy concentrates in tumors with minimal exposure to healthy organs, an encouraging sign as the study moves forward.