Two Cancers. Two Teams. One Remarkable Outcome.  

How a rare dual cancer diagnosis was no match for Minnesota Oncology and the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

When a woman in her early 60s came to Minnesota Oncology with ovarian cancer, her team moved quickly with surgery and treatment. But a post-op scan uncovered something unexpected: a lesion on her liver. That wasn’t supposed to be there—not with this type of cancer.  

The biopsy results confirmed the team’s suspicion: this wasn’t metastasis. It was an entirely different cancer, originating in the rectum.  

Now facing two distinct cancers at once, the local team tapped into the Mayo Clinic Care Network for a path forward.   

As part of the tools and resources available to Minnesota Oncology because of this collaboration, Samith Kochuparambil, M.D., a medical oncologist at Minnesota Oncology, was able to initiate an eConsult with a multidisciplinary Mayo Clinic team for support. Afterward, the pathology was reviewed and confirmed. Surgical timing, chemotherapy sequencing, and long-term care needs were mapped out between both organizations in near real-time.  

Subsequently, Mayo Clinic performed a complex dual procedure performed by hepatobiliary surgeon Rory Smoot, M.D. and colorectal surgeon Scott Kelley, M.D. These surgeons addressed both tumors in a single coordinated effort, an approach that would be difficult to offer in most community settings.  

“There are significant benefits for the patient. It’s one recovery,” says Dr. Smoot.  

Once the high-risk procedures were complete, Minnesota Oncology stepped back in to guide chemotherapy and follow-up. The patient remained local, connected to the care team she trusted, while receiving world-class surgical care just a few hours away.  

“We were able to remove the liver lesion, treat the primary lesion... and today she is cancer free,” says Dr. Kochuparambil. “This is a great example of how collaboration has led to better patient care.”  

Through the Mayo Clinic Care Network, patients receive more than a simple referral. This was a true extension of care. Access, combined with alignment, allowed Minnesota Oncology and Mayo Clinic to share clinical notes and ownership of the outcome.  

“From a surgical standpoint, the more experience and expertise you have, the better the outcomes,” says Dr. Smoot.  

Behind every treatment decision was deep coordination—on drug selection, surgical readiness, and timing between chemo cycles. This kind of back-and-forth isn’t always possible through traditional referral pipelines. But through the Mayo Clinic Care Network, it’s built in peace of mind for patients and their families.   

Today, this patient is in remission. She continues her care with the Minnesota Oncology team that’s been with her from day one—now with the full force of Mayo Clinic in her corner.  

This is what the Mayo Clinic Care Network makes possible:  

• Access to expert guidance without uprooting patients  

• Higher confidence in complex care decisions  

• A collaborative model where local providers stay in the lead  

For providers who want to offer more without doing it alone, the Mayo Clinic Care Network isn’t just a resource. It’s a relationship. One that turns uncertainty into action…and action into outcomes that matter.