Mayo Clinic's approach
Your Mayo Clinic care team
Mayo Clinic takes a patient-centered approach to colon cancer care. Teams work across specialties, including colon and rectal surgery, medical oncology, and gastroenterology and hepatology, to provide a comprehensive care plan that keeps you and your needs at the center. Mayo Clinic's seamless care experience lets you focus on healing while your care team addresses the many challenges that arise with a cancer diagnosis.
Mayo Clinic also offers palliative care services to help you manage the side effects of cancer treatment, as well as symptoms of cancer itself. Cancer survivorship clinics are available after cancer treatment ends. A cancer survivorship clinic may help you cope with the physical and emotional changes that sometimes appear after cancer treatment.
Decades of experience
Mayo Clinic surgeons have extensive experience in the latest techniques and regularly perform both routine and highly complex procedures for colon and rectal cancers. As a high-volume practice, our teams are leading the way in surgical skill and evaluation of surgical options as part of the broader care plan. More than 4,000 people seek colon cancer care at Mayo Clinic each year. And nearly 1,000 people undergo colon cancer surgery at Mayo Clinic each year.
Research shows that people who are treated for colon cancer at medical centers that treat many cases of colon cancer have better outcomes than do people treated at medical centers that treat colon cancer less frequently.
Advanced cancer expertise
Mayo Clinic is leading the way with combined and specialized therapies for advanced colon cancer, including:
- Synchronous cancer treatment. Mayo Clinic's colorectal surgery team is one of a few teams that offers synchronous cancer treatment. This approach involves removing advanced cancer from multiple organs in a single, streamlined surgery. This reduces treatment time so you can return to daily life sooner.
- Hepatic artery infusion pump therapy (HAIP). HAIP delivers chemotherapy directly to your liver, preventing cancer recurrence or shrinking cancer, and making curative surgery possible. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons recommends that HAIP only be done in centers with the right expertise.
- Cytoreductive surgery with hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy, also called HIPEC. Mayo Clinic specializes in cytoreductive surgery combined with HIPEC for treating colon cancer that has spread to the abdominal cavity. Mayo Clinic invented a lower fluid approach to this multidisciplinary treatment that has led to shorter recovery times.
- Liver transplant. Mayo Clinic is among only a few centers nationally who offer liver transplantation for colorectal liver metastases.
Faster recovery
These Mayo Clinic approaches promote faster healing and a smoother recovery:
- Minimally invasive and robotic surgery. Mayo Clinic surgeons are skilled at minimally invasive and robotic surgery techniques, which are proven to result in shorter hospital stays and fewer complication rates.
- Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, also called ERAS. ERAS is a program designed to help you recover more quickly and smoothly after surgery by focusing on nutrition, pain management and physical activity.
- Dedicated ostomy support. Mayo Clinic's team of experienced ostomy nurses, also known as wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurses, play a crucial role in supporting you before and after ostomy surgery. They provide expert care, education and guidance on managing ostomies, helping you adapt to a new lifestyle and achieve the best possible outcomes.
Expertise and rankings
Nationally recognized expertise
Outside organizations recognize Mayo Clinic cancer specialists through accreditations, grants and rankings:
- Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center meets the strict standards for a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center and is the only such center with three unique locations. These standards recognize scientific excellence and a multispecialty approach focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
- Mayo Clinic is among the highest-ranked cancer centers in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report.
- Mayo Clinic ranks No. 1 in the nation for gastroenterology and GI surgery according to U.S. News & World Report.
- Mayo Clinic is accredited by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer.
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. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is ranked as the top hospital in Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, is ranked as the top hospital in Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, is ranked the top hospital in Florida.
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.