SUMMARY
Aaron S. Mansfield, M.D., is a medical oncologist whose research focus is thoracic malignancies and early therapeutics. He has supported multiple clinical trials leading to Food and Drug Administration approval of agents for treating thoracic malignancies. These medicines include atezolizumab for small cell lung cancer, pralsetinib for fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer that is rearranged during transfection, the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab for mesothelioma, and others.
Dr. Mansfield's research has been supported by multiple organizations, including the National Cancer Institute, the Department of Defense and The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research. His team is developing clinical trials based on discoveries made in lung cancers, mesotheliomas and thymic malignancies.
Focus areas
- Immunotherapy biomarkers. Dr. Mansfield and his colleagues identified a signature that predicts which people with mesothelioma are most likely to benefit from treatment with immunotherapy. This signature is being studied in other tumor types. He also works on developing blood-based biomarkers.
- Drug development. Dr. Mansfield is the principal investigator of multiple cooperative group clinical trials, including the ROS1-crizotinib arm of the National Cancer Institute-sponsored Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice clinical trial and others for pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. He collaborates with many pharmaceutical companies researching new therapies for people with pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Mansfield is dedicated to bringing new and better treatments to people with lung cancer, mesothelioma and rare chest tumors. He leads many clinical trials that give patients early access to promising therapies — sometimes even before they are widely available. His work helps turn scientific discoveries into real options for people who need them most.
Professional highlights
- Mayo Clinic:
- Chair, Thoracic Malignancies Disease Group, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2023-present.
- Chair, Data Safety Monitoring Committee, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2022-present.
- Excellence Through Teamwork Award, Comprehensive Cancer Center Research Transition Team, 2025.
- Excellence Through Teamwork Award, Thoracic Oncology Workgroup, 2025.
- Top Performing Provider Patient Experience Award, Mayo Clinic Office of Patient Experience, 2024, 2025.
- Patient Experience Provider Recognition Award, Mayo Clinic Office of Patient Experience, 2020.
- Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award, National Cancer Institute, 2018-2020.