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DAVID LARSON: It's very rare that I see a patient who has a truly unresectable tumor.
CHRIS HALLEMEIER: For patients with advanced rectal cancers where the textbooks would suggest that resection is not possible, oftentimes, in reviewing it with the multidisciplinary team, we can come up with a solution of how to approach the tumor, how to shrink it, and ultimately undergo a surgery that may not have otherwise been possible.
ZHAOHUI JIN: Treating rectal cancer has been evolving constantly over the years and we know that changing the chemo treatment backbone using the new radiation modality and the newer novel surgical technology will help improve treating this disease more successfully.
CHRIS HALLEMEIER: We frequently incorporate chemotherapy and radiation techniques that are not available in the community setting. We use novel technologies, like the proton beam radiation therapy, and administering the radiation treatment during the surgery to have it more focused directly on the area that we think is most at risk for potential recurrence.
DAVID LARSON: Rectal cancer is a very complex operation for most patients and we have one of the largest rectal cancer practices in the world. And we're really leaders in minimally invasive surgery and robotics, leading many first-in-human trials, which is really practice-leading, from the surgical point of view.
If you look across America, only about 25% of patients with rectal cancer are treated with the most modern robotic approaches. Here, about 90% of those patients are treated this way.
CHRIS HALLEMEIER: Because of the location of the tumor, sensitive organs nearby, it oftentimes requires a multipronged approach to get the best chance for cure.
ZHAOHUI JIN: Our colorectal surgical team has the expertise to get excellent local disease control and potential organ preservation, nerve function, reproductive function preservation. When you refer a patient to Mayo Clinic, we'll work with you closely to help develop an individualized best treatment approach for your patient.
DAVID LARSON: We can seamlessly and effectively see patients, treat them, and then return them back with a plan for long-term survivorship. It truly is a union of forces. And we collectively create unique opportunities for every patient, tailoring it to just what they need to both cure and survive their cancers.
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