SUMMARY
Lisa A. McGee, M.D., is a radiation oncologist. Dr. McGee improves proton therapy for breast cancer and cancers of the head and neck. She integrates clinical trials, multi-institutional registry analyses and patient-reported outcomes to compare the effects of proton and photon radiotherapy. Dr. McGee also explores phase 2 and phase 3 trials evaluating hypofractionation, de-escalation strategies and comparative effectiveness in breast cancer, including pragmatic trials supported by national funding.
Dr. McGee also investigates salivary gland, thyroid and oropharyngeal malignancies. She focuses on contour quality assurance, toxicity mitigation and biological modeling, including relative biological effectiveness. Dr. McGee advances evidence-based target delineation and peer review systems to improve treatment precision. She also studies educational methods in radiation oncology, developing structured contour-grading systems and curricula that link clinical quality, outcomes research and graduate medical education.
Focus areas
- Comparative effectiveness of proton therapy. Dr. McGee examines clinical outcomes, toxicity profiles and patient-reported quality of life in people treated with proton versus photon radiotherapy. She leads multi-institutional registry studies and randomized trials in breast and thoracic malignancies, with attention to hypofractionation, partial breast irradiation and postmastectomy radiotherapy. These studies inform patient selection and dosing strategies.
- Head and neck radiation optimization. Dr. McGee studies contour accuracy, peer review systems, and the integration of advanced imaging for head and neck cancers. She develops structured contour grading tools to assess resident performance and improve target delineation. Her clinical investigations address toxicity reduction, mucosal-sparing approaches and outcomes in human papillomavirus-associated cancer and salivary gland tumors.
- Patient-reported outcomes and toxicity mitigation. Dr. McGee evaluates acute and late toxicities using prospective registries and validated patient-reported measures. She explores strategies to reduce mucositis, cardiopulmonary exposure and reconstructive complications in breast and head and neck radiotherapy. Through her research, Dr. McGee supports personalized treatment planning that balances tumor control with quality of life.
- Radiation oncology education research. Dr. McGee integrates the science of healthcare delivery into residency training. She studies the assessment of contouring skills. Through curriculum development and quality initiatives, Dr. McGee promotes structured feedback, reduces bias in evaluation and strengthens system-based practice. Her research links trainee performance metrics to clinical quality improvement.
Significance to patient care
Dr. McGee helps care teams find the safest and best radiation treatments for patients with breast and head and neck cancers. She studies proton therapy and standard radiation to find ways to lessen side effects without weakening cancer treatment.
Dr. McGee explores patient-reported results to help medical teams understand how patients feel during and after treatment. She focuses on safer, more accurate radiation through careful planning and team checks.
Dr. McGee's work improves quality of life, lowers the risk of future challenges and supports more personalized cancer care.
Professional highlights
- American Society for Radiation Oncology:
- Director at large, Executive Committee, Association for Directors of Radiation Oncology Programs, 2025-present.
- Educator of the Year, Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology, 2022-2023.
- Mayo Clinic:
- Associate chair of education, Department of Radiation Oncology, 2024-present.
- Program director, Radiation Oncology Residency Program, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, 2024-present.
- Chair, Clinical Competency Committee, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, 2020-present.
- Fellow, Academy of Educational Excellence for excellence in administration and leadership, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 2025.
- Principal investigator, Pragmatic Clinical Trials of Proton Versus Photon Therapy for Patients With Breast and Lung Cancer, funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, 2016-2036.