Radiation Oncology in Arizona

Overview

Mayo radiation oncologists work in collaboration with physicians in other specialties (surgery, medical oncology, internal medicine, pathology, diagnostic radiology) in the evaluation and care of each patient with cancer. The Mayo Clinic approach has traditionally been comprehensive and interdisciplinary. This teamwork is especially important in the successful management of cancer.

For each disease-site, a team comprised of physicians from numerous specialties has been organized to better serve Mayo Clinic Cancer Center – Scottsdale patients. The multi-disciplinary teams represent the following disease-sites: brain/neurological, breast, gastrointestinal [esophagus, stomach, pancreas, hepatobiliary, colorectum, anus], genitourinary [prostate, bladder, kidney, testis], gynecologic [cervix, uterus, ovary, vulva], lung, lymphoma/leukemia, melanoma/skin and sarcoma [extremity, retroperitoneal]. Each disease-site team has individual autonomy, function and goals. Common goals include some of the following: develop diagnostic and treatment algorithms/guidelines for patient evaluation and care, evaluate and develop clinical research protocols, determine whether multi-disciplinary clinics would be of value.

Radiation Oncologists are members of each of the disease-site teams. Each of the board-certified Radiation Oncology physicians has 2-3 areas of major disease-site interest, thus resulting in sub-specialization (see List of Doctors and Clinical Publications within this web site). This sub-specialization offers patients the potential of a greater degree of experience and knowledge with regard to both the evaluation and delivery of radiation as a component of treatment for their specific type of cancer.

Mayo currently has outpatient radiation oncology treatment locations on both the Scottsdale campus and the Phoenix campus.

Scottsdale Campus (13400 East Shea Boulevard)

A Mayo Clinic treatment facility for radiation oncology has existed on our Scottsdale campus since 1988. There is a full component of exam rooms and offices for the evaluation of patients. In addition there is equipment for both treatment design (simulation) and treatment delivery (linear accelerators). The treatment equipment consists of two Varian linear accelerators with variable energy photon and electron beams and multi-leaf collimation. Both are new, state-of-the-art machines that allow the delivery of sophisticated external beam radiation including IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) and 3D conformal treatments. The treatment design and dosimetry equipment is also modern. A full component of personnel exist to assist the physician in achieving sophisticated treatment planning and delivery (certified radiation therapists, dosimetrists and physicists).

Phoenix Campus (56th Street and Mayo Boulevard)

Mayo Clinic opened the nation's first portable/modular radiation oncology facility in April 2004 at their Phoenix campus near 56th street and the Loop 101 freeway. This new facility gives patients an alternative to the facility on the Scottsdale site, and will thus make it more convenient for patients to receive cancer-fighting therapies at Mayo. The 3,000 square foot facility, built by Florida-based RAD Technology, was constructed using new, cutting-edge technology that allows a fully-functional radiation oncology facility, complete with a shielded vault, exam rooms and offices, to be built using a temporary, modular design. Within the shielded vault is a new, state-of-the-art Varian linear accelerator with variable energy photon and electron beams. This allows the delivery of sophisticated external beam radiation, including IMRT and 3-D conformal treatments, with the same equipment as used on the Scottsdale campus. At this time, all treatment planning is accomplished on the Scottsdale campus for patients who will be treated on the Phoenix campus. The RAD Technology building will serve Mayo Clinic as a bridge to a planned permanent expansion space on our Phoenix campus that will be available for patient evaluation and care in late 2005 or early 2006.

Our Mission

The Radiation Oncology staff is committed to applying leading edge technology to treat each patient with compassion and with the highest quality. We are also committed to education and research in order to advance the effectiveness of cancer treatment.