Recurrent breast cancer

Departments and specialties

Mayo Clinic has one of the largest and most experienced practices in the United States, with campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Staff skilled in dozens of specialties work together to ensure quality care and successful recovery.

Research

Mayo Clinic doctors and scientists are studying ways to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of recurrent breast cancer.

Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of a select group of facilities that received a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant for breast cancer research from the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Mayo Clinic doctors and researchers are studying emerging technologies and therapies for recurrent breast cancer, including:

• CAR-T cell therapy, which reprograms the body's immune cells to help find and attack cancer cells.
• Therapeutic breast cancer vaccines designed to help the immune system recognize and respond to breast cancer cells.
• Radiotheranostics, which combines advanced imaging with targeted radiation treatments that use radiopharmaceuticals to deliver radiation more precisely to cancer cells.
• Molecular profiling and biomarker testing to better understand the cancer and help guide personalized treatment decisions.
• Blood-based testing, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing, to help monitor cancer activity and guide treatment planning over time.
• New targeted therapies for hormone receptor positive, HER2-positive, HER2-low and triple-negative breast cancers.
• Oral targeted medicines designed to treat cancers with specific genetic changes or resistance to prior treatments.
• Immunotherapy approaches that help the immune system identify and attack cancer cells.
• Combination treatment approaches that pair standard therapies with newer targeted or immune-based treatments.
• Advanced imaging approaches, including specialized PET imaging, to help identify where recurrent cancer is active and guide treatment decisions.
• Clinical trials for recurrent, metastatic and treatment-resistant breast cancer that may provide access to emerging therapies and new treatment approaches.

Publications

See a list of publications about recurrent breast cancer by Mayo Clinic doctors on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.

Research Profiles

Living with recurrent breast cancer?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Breast Cancer support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community.

Breast Cancer Discussions

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