The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients. Mayo Clinic integrated care enables treatment for rare, complex cancer ROCHESTER, Minn. — A multidisciplinary surgical team at Mayo Clinic has successfully treated an exceptionally rare and life-threatening cancer that invaded a patient's heart and airway. The procedure combined advanced cardiac surgery with complex airway reconstruction and represents a significant achievement in modern cancer care. Tami Channel's thyroid cancer was so advanced that her family had begun planning hospice care. The tumor had severely compromised her airway and had encased her carotid artery and jugular vein, two of the body's most vital blood vessels. Primary cancers of the heart are extremely rare. Most tumors that appear in the heart are benign, and malignant… Request an appointment ResearchCosts & insurance Jan. 17, 2026 Share on: FacebookTwitter Show references Otolaryngology (ENT)/Head and Neck SurgerySectionsRequest an appointmentOverviewTests & proceduresConditions treatedDoctorsDoctors by location and specialtySpecialty groupsClinical trialsResearchPatient storiesCosts & insuranceNews from Mayo ClinicReferrals SectionsRequest an appointmentOverviewTests & proceduresConditions treatedDoctorsDoctors by location and specialtySpecialty groupsClinical trialsResearchPatient storiesCosts & insuranceNews from Mayo ClinicReferrals ORG-20424058 Medical Departments & Centers Otolaryngology (ENT)/Head and Neck Surgery