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Patient Care Services

Mayo Clinic offers genomic testing to patients in order to personalize care. Health care experts can use knowledge about a patient's DNA to potentially diagnose, predict, treat and prevent disease — allowing medical care to be tailored to each individual person.

Patients are considered on a case-by-case basis for individualized medicine care from specialized clinicians at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota.

Individualized medicine services

The individualized medicine experts at Mayo Clinic provide services focusing on:

  • Cancer. Cancer services (PDF) include genomic sequencing of patients' tumors and whole-exome sequencing of patients' normal DNA to look for changes or alterations in the cancer, which may identify new treatment options.

    Additionally, Mayo Clinic research has found that as many as 1 in 8 patients with cancer have inherited cancer-related gene mutations — a much higher rate than previously estimated. Genomic sequencing also creates the possibility for patients to share the heritable cause of their cancer with their relatives, allowing family members to pursue care for earlier detection and, if necessary, management or treatment.

  • Rare and undiagnosed disorders. Some children or adults experience health problems that have no definite diagnosis (PDF), but are suspected to have a genetic cause. Oftentimes, these individuals have had genetic testing, but the tests have not provided a final diagnosis.

    In these cases, our team of scientists and physicians use genomic sequencing to look for variations, which may identify an underlying cause, diagnosis or potential options for therapy.

  • Drug-gene testing. Some genes are responsible for how your body processes medication. The testing of drug-gene interactions is called pharmacogenomics or pharmacogenetics. This information can help guide selection of the right drug and right dose of specific medications (PDF) and guide more effective treatment or avoid complications that may vary from mild to potentially life-threatening. Some medications for which pharmacogenomics testing is currently available include codeine, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), tamoxifen and simvastatin (Zocor).

  • Predictive testing. If you're generally in good health, you can request predictive, or proactive, genetic testing. This type of testing often includes screening for genes linked to conditions such as hereditary cancer or cardiovascular disease. Knowing that you have any of these genes can help your physician recommend things you can do that might reduce your risk. Your physician can also monitor you more closely to catch and treat disease earlier, increasing chances of a good outcome.

    Predictive genomics services are already offered through Mayo Clinic's Executive Health Program. Ongoing translational research — much of which is supported by the Center for Individualized Medicine's Clinomics Program — aims to expand these services to reach larger and more diverse populations.

To learn more about genomics and individualized medicine, and to assist you in making a decision about pursuing this type of health care, educational materials and resources are available from the National Human Genome Research Institute.

Condition-specific testing

Currently, the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine's patient care services focus on testing for cancer, rare and undiagnosed disorders, pharmacogenomics, and predictive testing. If you're interested in testing for specific diseases, conditions or disorders, you are encouraged to discuss options with your primary care doctor.

Mayo Clinic offers more extensive testing that may be available. For example, the Department of Neurology uses cutting-edge techniques and technologies to evaluate and treat neurological conditions, while the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology offers state-of-the-art testing for people with digestive conditions.

Review a list of all medical departments and centers.

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Individualized Medicine — Holly's Story

Sequencing uncovers the genetic makeup of an aggressive tumor.

Genomic Sequencing Animation

Genomic sequencing is a process for analyzing a sample of DNA taken from your blood. In the lab, technicians extract DNA and prepare it for sequencing.

Patient care services

Genomic tests analyze your DNA in order to customize health care and help find answers to difficult medical questions.

Requesting an appointment

Our team evaluates each request to determine if an individualized medicine evaluation is indicated.

Preparing for your appointment

Collecting information about your personal and family medical history may be necessary before meeting the care team.

Meeting with your care team

A team of experts, each with a specific role, provides a personalized and comprehensive patient care visit.

Understanding test results

Our team interprets your unique results and helps you understand how they may affect your health care.

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