Panorama general

Mayo Clinic Melanoma Surgical Oncology team members collaborate on a patient care question.

Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, is ranked the #1 hospital in Florida and is ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer care.

The Melanoma Surgical Oncology team at Mayo Clinic's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, centers around an experienced group of fellowship-trained surgeons. The team includes surgical oncologists, physician assistants, nurses, research coordinators and support staff dedicated to the management of patients with skin cancer. The team has expertise in compassionately caring for people with serious and complex conditions and is recognized for its safe and excellent outcomes.

No other cancer program in Florida ranks higher than Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic melanoma surgeons practice in an atmosphere of inquiry and innovation, continually evolving and advancing their care of people with melanoma. Through basic science research and clinical trials, the team develops and evaluates novel approaches and treatments for skin cancer that allows them to offer patients the most up-to-date care.

Surgeons play an active role in almost all stages of melanoma. There are multiple types of operations for melanoma aimed at treating and preventing the spread or return of this aggressive cancer. Our team of melanoma surgical oncologists has the expertise and resources to treat all forms of melanoma.

Integrated, multidisciplinary clinical and research practice

Melanoma Surgical Oncology team members discuss a patient's care needs.

Care at Mayo Clinic is based on a patient-centered, collaborative approach to ensure accurate diagnosis as well as timely management and surgical intervention. Melanoma surgical oncologists at the Florida campus collaborate closely with other specialists — including dermatologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, head and neck surgeons, radiologists, and plastic and reconstructive surgeons — to provide expert multidisciplinary care.

Research translates into practice innovation

A Mayo Clinic surgical oncologist discusses novel therapies and surgical techniques with a patient.

Surgical oncologists within the department also are career researchers. They conduct research in basic and translational science, clinical trials for novel therapies and surgical techniques, and quality improvement to continually advance patient care.

The melanoma program leverages the latest science and care practices, relying on precise diagnosis, skilled surgical excision and the latest immunotherapies. Physician-scientists collaborate on patient care, innovative research and diagnostic excellence to provide highly individualized melanoma care.

Mayo Clinic offers the latest in melanoma surgical care with innovative therapies, new techniques and clinical trials.

Personalized care, rapidly tailored to your needs

Our multidisciplinary team model allows us to offer the most recent skin cancer treatment advances to develop a personalized comprehensive treatment plan. Your surgeons partner with you to remove the melanoma while striving to optimize your quality of life and long-term health.

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Christina Armedariz, patient: Your outlook changes a lot when you face something like this.

James W. Jakub, M.D., Surgical Oncologist, Mayo Clinic in Florida: Christina had Stage 4 disease, which we typically don't think of as managed with surgery. She had, unfortunately, some pretty significant side effects from her immunotherapy that were working well in the tumor, but also caused some problems for her that the treatment had to be stopped. She had some pretty advanced lymph node disease that I think, understandably, a lot of surgeons in other communities were not comfortable managing.

Christina Armedariz: I was searching for answers. I knew that I was not getting the treatment that I needed due to my complex medical situation. I was devastated because I had come so far, I had experienced so much. I just felt like there was more out there for me.

Roxana S. Dronca, M.D., Divisional Chair, Hematology/Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic in Florida: When I first met Christina, what I thought was unique about her case, was that I met her at a very trying moment in her life. She was at the time experiencing significant complications from her cancer immunotherapy. She had a very rare neurological complication with inflammation of her brain called meningoencephalitis. She had significant neurological symptoms, had significant neurological impairment and was basically unable to carry on with her life. She was unable to take care of her daughter.

Sebastian Lopez, M.D., Consultant, Neurology, Mayo Clinic in Florida: After initial investigations based on the spinal fluid testing, based on results of MRI studies, we were able to determine the exact cause of the brain inflammation. It was important to see her quickly, so we can determine what type of treatment is best. The collaborative approach from surgery, oncology and neuro-immunology is very important to determine the next steps.

Christina Armedariz: I mean, as a mom, I was terrified, I had Stage 4 cancer and I didn't know if I was going to survive that and I wanted to be there for my daughter, more than anything.

Dr. Dronca: Patients with really complex clinical courses, with complex cancers, with rare diseases, really need a team of experts. I believe if we were not to intervene right away, she could've taken a turn for the worse very quickly. We all came together to figure out a very quick and a very bold way to help Christina.

Christina Armedariz: Dr. Lopez, Dr. Jakub and Dr. Dronca reviewed my case and immediately came up with a strategy. Dr. Dronca's proposal was, "I think that this tumor can be surgically removed." And this was something I had never heard before.

Dr. Jakub: It was a large tumor, so we were able to completely remove that. Also, we did a procedure called a lymphovenous bypass. We identified the lymphatics draining from the arm. We were able to sew those back to the vein's draining from the arm to try to minimize the risk of arm swelling or lymphedema.

Christina Armedariz: It was leading up to Christmas. I had my surgery. It gave me the opportunity to be officially in remission of Stage 4 melanoma. Unbelievable. It's unbelievable.

Dr. Lopez: A big advantage that we have at Mayo Clinic is that we have one of the few autoimmune neurology sub-specialty clinics in the nation. Additionally, we have the advantage of working closely with other experts in the field and closely working with our oncology colleagues, with our surgery colleagues, and that allows us to really provide that comprehensive multidisciplinary care that patients benefit so much from.

Dr. Dronca: There are so many patients with rare cancers that do not have any standard treatment options available. So what we are trying to do is continue to innovate and continue to develop these new treatments.

Christina Armedariz: For somebody who is going to be battling cancer for the rest of their lives, you want options and choices and you want the availability and the resources to be close to you and to be available to you. And it's exciting to know that Mayo is building this new cancer center because it gives me hope that there is new treatments and new opportunities on the horizon, and that could mean years on my life. That is what that means to me. That means I can see a long-term future where I know that Mayo has a plan or a strategy on the horizons that can treat my cancer. It's amazing.

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For example, our approach to lymph node surgery for newly diagnosed skin cancer is to first ensure we stage the disease accurately, and based on that, provide you with the best treatment plan.

  • Mayo Clinic's coordinated team approach lets us avoid unnecessary procedures when possible, to provide the highest chance of cure while minimizing complications.
  • Our surgical oncologists perform sentinel lymph node biopsy procedures to identify and remove the first lymph nodes draining from the melanoma, to see if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. If you have been diagnosed with melanoma, a sentinel lymph node biopsy may be used to help determine the stage of your cancer.
  • For melanoma tumors that have not spread to other areas, we perform a procedure called wide local excision. Depending on the site and extent of the surgery, a skin graft may be needed to close the surgical wound and reduce scarring.
  • If the melanoma is deep or has spread to the regional lymph nodes, immunotherapy may be offered in partnership with our medical oncologists. Your team may also perform a lymph node dissection procedure (sometimes called lymphadenectomy).
  • Mayo Clinic in Florida is one of only a few specialized centers in the country that performs isolated limb infusion (ILI) and hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion (HILP).
    • These procedures deliver a high dose of chemotherapy directly to an affected limb.
    • The chemotherapy remains concentrated only in the arm or leg, so a patient can absorb a higher dosage than through an IV without side effects to other parts of the body.

Streamlined care

A surgical oncologist discusses a plan of care with a patient.

Mayo Clinic understands that a diagnosis of melanoma is stressful for patients and families. In addition to emotional stress and uncertainty, it can be daunting to accommodate the travel, time and associated expense of obtaining care.

Melanoma Surgical Oncology is part of an integrated multidisciplinary group of cancer care specialties. The group provides streamlined collaboration for a comprehensive treatment plan that minimizes the time and expense of being away from home. We design our surgical practice protocols to bring you a detailed diagnosis and the best care as efficiently as possible. Our goal is to minimize the time between first seeking care and starting on your path to recovery.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy to treat advanced melanoma

The Florida campus is one of the few select sites nationwide to offer U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy. Also called TIL therapy, this therapy treats advanced melanoma that has been resistant to or failed prior therapy.

  • The surgical oncologist removes tissue from a melanoma site and sends it to the clinic lab.
  • The lab then harvests a specific type of immune cells that have learned to recognize and fight the melanoma.
  • Those cells are multiplied and reinfused back into the patient in an "activated" state so they can seek out and attack tumors more powerfully than before.

Contact

Florida

  • Mayo Clinic Melanoma Surgical Oncology in Jacksonville
  • 4500 San Pablo Road
    Jacksonville, FL 32224
  • Phone: 904-953-2000
Sept. 10, 2024