Mayo Clinic's approach
Your Mayo Clinic care team
Your care team is made up of highly specialized experts in the delivery of safe chemotherapy for breast cancer. They work together to provide exactly the care you need.
Personalized breast cancer treatment
Your breast cancer care team, led by doctors in the Breast Clinic, works closely with you to create a personalized treatment plan. In the past, most people with breast cancer underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy. Now precision medicine for breast cancer allows doctors to create a treatment plan that's tailored to the hormonal and genetic characteristics of your tumor. All treatment options are available at Mayo Clinic, including genomic profiling of your tumor.
Your treatment plan will be based on what's right for you and what matters to you. For example, at Mayo Clinic, people with early-stage breast cancer may be eligible for a type of chemotherapy delivered before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) to shrink the tumor. And people who never had breast cancer but are considered to have a high risk of developing it may be offered preventive strategies or referred to the High Risk Breast Clinic.
Mental health specialists also are part of the Mayo Clinic breast cancer care team. Talk with your doctor about whether you might benefit from a referral to one of them.
Innovative techniques
People with breast cancer who come to Mayo Clinic have access to innovative chemotherapy techniques, some of which aren't widely available:
- Scalp cooling therapy to prevent hair loss. Mayo Clinic uses a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved cold therapy device (cooling cap) that reduces the risk of hair loss from chemotherapy.
- Chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy). This technique shrinks the tumor before surgery, which has been proved to improve surgery outcomes.
- Clinical research studies. Your doctor may talk with you about participating in a clinical research study (clinical trial). Clinical trials give you access to drugs and the latest treatments not yet generally available.
Expertise and rankings
Every year Mayo Clinic chemotherapy teams treat thousands of people with breast cancer. These teams help people with all types of breast cancer, from the least to the most aggressive.
Nationally recognized expertise
Mayo Clinic is recognized for high-quality breast cancer care and research by national organizations.
- Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center meets strict standards for a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center, recognizing scientific excellence and a multidisciplinary approach focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
- Mayo Clinic is part of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium (TBCRC) and NRG Oncology, which are international groups of scientists who work together to conduct clinical trials and reduce the impact of cancer.
- Mayo Clinic is one of a select group of medical centers in the United States to be recognized as a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) for breast cancer research, funded by the National Cancer Institute. To earn a highly competitive SPORE grant, institutions must demonstrate a high degree of collaboration between first-rate scientists and clinicians and show excellence in translational research projects.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer by U.S. News & World Report.
Locations, travel and lodging
Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.
For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:
Costs and insurance
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.
In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.
Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.
Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.