Amit Merchea, M.D., Colon and Rectal Surgery: There's a number of exciting things in the future for colorectal cancer care and research occurring at Mayo Clinic. These encompass new chemotherapeutics or immune therapies from surgical approaches. We're continuing to push the limits with robotic surgery and digital surgery using augmented reality and artificial intelligence. And this really helps enhance the care that we can deliver for patients with colorectal cancer.
David W. Larson, M.D., M.B.A., Colon and Rectal Surgery: Quality of life issues are a big issue for most patients. It is one of their number one questions. And we spend a lot of time educating the patient and trying to determine what their goals of quality of life are.
Shabana F. Pasha, M.D., Gastroenterology & Hepatology: So I think as Mayo Clinic physicians we are always available to answer questions, including making the decision whether or not a patient would benefit from a referral to Mayo Clinic. We usually request records for patients ahead of time. We preschedule tests and appointments, so if a patient needs a procedure, if they need to meet with the surgeon, again, if they need to meet with a genetic specialist, so all those tests are prescheduled wherein a patient can come in. If they are from out-of-state, they can fly in for a gastroenterology appointment, get all the necessary tests done and then return home.
Tanios Bekaii-Saab, M.D., F.A.C.P., Medical Oncology: I think that having a center that's focused on research, but research that's applied to patient care. And that's what Mayo does best, is a certainly a plus, a positive that ensures that patients have access to the most innovative and the latest and the greatest that can't be found anywhere on the planet.
Amit Merchea, M.D.: So I think patients to seek care at Mayo Clinic with colorectal cancer because we really offer the expertise in treating this. We are a high volume Cancer Center. Our outcomes with colorectal cancer set benchmarks across the country. And patients have high-quality, safe and effective care. I think for any patient who's seeking surgical treatment for colorectal cancer, it's important that they look at not just the surgeon as an individual but the team.
Tanios Bekaii-Saab, M.D.: And because of our integrated care, so a patient comes through the door for screening, if we find a polyp, or we find a cancer, that patient is meeting with the gastroenterologist and in no time with a surgeon, or the geneticists, with the medical oncologists if needed, and then anyone as part of the team. And that is quite unique. And that is why I think the care overall, the integrated level of care, at Mayo Clinic is certainly superior care.