Sumera I. Ilyas, M.B.B.S.

Sumera I. Ilyas, M.B.B.S., is a physician-scientist and transplant hepatologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, specializing in hepatobiliary tumors, transplant oncology and complex liver disease.

Dr. Ilyas is Director of the Mayo Clinic Hepatobiliary Neoplasia Clinic and Transplant Oncology Clinic. Her clinical practice focuses on patients with liver and bile duct tumors, including intrahepatic, perihilar and distal cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and benign or indeterminate liver lesions. She has particular expertise at the intersection of hepatobiliary oncology and liver transplantation, including the evaluation of appropriately selected patients with cancer for transplantation.

Dr. Ilyas also helps lead Mayo Clinic's multidisciplinary hepatobiliary tumor board, collaborating with specialists in medical oncology, hepatobiliary and transplant surgery, radiology, radiation oncology, pathology and other disciplines to develop individualized treatment strategies for patients with complex hepatobiliary tumors.

As a transplant hepatologist, Dr. Ilyas cares for patients with advanced and cholestatic liver diseases, with particular expertise in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). She manages complications of advanced liver disease, evaluates patients for liver transplantation, and provides care before and after transplantation.

Dr. Ilyas is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Immunology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, with appointments in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and the Department of Immunology. She leads a translational research program focused on understanding the biology of cholangiocarcinoma and developing new therapeutic approaches.

Areas of expertise

• Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer): Evaluation and management of intrahepatic, perihilar and distal cholangiocarcinoma
• Transplant oncology: Evaluation of appropriately selected patients with cancer for treatment strategies that may incorporate liver transplantation
• Hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer): Evaluation and management, including assessment for liver transplantation when appropriate
• Benign and indeterminate liver lesions: Evaluation and management of hepatic adenomas, focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and other liver lesions
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis and other cholestatic liver diseases: Comprehensive management, cancer surveillance and risk assessment, and evaluation for liver transplantation
• Liver transplantation: Evaluation and pre- and post-transplant care for patients with benign and malignant liver and biliary diseases
• Cirrhosis and advanced liver disease: Management of cirrhosis and its complications, including ascites, esophageal varices and hepatic encephalopathy

Research and expertise

Dr. Ilyas' research program focuses on the biology and immunology of cholangiocarcinoma, including mechanisms of cancer development, the tumor microenvironment, tumor progression, immune suppression and therapeutic resistance. Her laboratory investigates interactions among cancer cells, immune cells and stromal components of the tumor microenvironment to identify biological vulnerabilities and develop novel therapeutic strategies.

Her research integrates mechanistic laboratory studies, human tumor specimens and preclinical models, with a major emphasis on translational therapeutics. By integrating laboratory investigation with her clinical expertise in hepatobiliary cancer, Dr. Ilyas seeks to translate discoveries in cancer biology into new treatments for patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Dr. Ilyas' research has been supported by the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society and U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, among others.

She holds leadership roles in national and international organizations focused on liver disease and hepatobiliary cancer, including the International Liver Cancer Association, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Conditions treated

• Cholangiocarcinoma, including intrahepatic, perihilar and distal cholangiocarcinoma
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Colorectal cancer with liver metastases, in the context of liver transplant evaluation
• Neuroendocrine tumors with liver metastases, in the context of liver transplant evaluation
• Other selected malignancies considered for liver transplantation
• Hepatic adenoma
• Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH)
• Other benign and indeterminate liver lesions
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Primary biliary cholangitis
• Cirrhosis and complications of cirrhosis
• Chronic and advanced liver disease

Care philosophy

"Patients with liver and bile duct cancers often face complex decisions that require expertise across multiple specialties. My goal is to understand each patient's disease and priorities, bring together the appropriate multidisciplinary expertise, and develop an individualized treatment strategy while ensuring that the patient remains at the center of every decision."

Personal interests

Outside of work, Dr. Ilyas enjoys spending time with her three children and close friends, particularly traveling and exploring new places together. She also enjoys running, hiking, gardening and cooking.