Cancer Treatments

We use genetic and molecular tests to precisely diagnose each case of cancer and choose the most appropriate treatments for you. Our team-based approach means multiple cancer experts consult on every case to personalize your care. 

This close collaboration ensures you receive personalized treatment— which may include clinical trials for eligible patients — at every phase of your care.

Why choose us for cancer treatment?

Highlights of our program include: 

• Leading cancer expertise: Our team includes specialists who are well-known nationally and internationally for advancing cancer care in different ways. Our doctors’ special expertise in areas such as cancer genetics is reshaping how doctors around the world treat certain cancers.
• Sophisticated therapies: Our surgeons are nationally known for their skill in safely removing complex tumors. We offer advanced treatments, including immunotherapy and radiation therapies, to treat all cancer types with precision. 
• Pioneering research: We are the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center in Central and South Texas. This longstanding recognition illustrates our established track record of cancer research and unwavering standards. Our physician-scientists take part in hundreds of cancer research efforts, which help you access new treatments before they are on the market. Read more about clinical trial treatments. 
• World-class partnership: Our partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center allows us to offer expanded treatment options for advanced and rare cancers. Find out more about our partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center.
• Convenience: You can access a full spectrum of cancer treatment services at Mays Cancer Center in San Antonio. We coordinate your care so you can receive multiple treatment services and the support you need in fewer visits.
• Support: Cancer impacts much more than your physical health. We provide a wealth of resources to support you through treatment and make your life easier. Read more about patient and family services during cancer care and our Supportive Cancer Care Clinic.

Types of cancer treatments we offer

Your doctor may recommend one or more cancer treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Often, you’ll have treatments in a specific order based on leading research.

Our comprehensive cancer treatment services include:

• Surgery to remove a tumor and tissues where disease has spread. Tumor surgery can treat many cancers. Our renowned surgeons’ skill allows them to perform intricate procedures safely, with less impact on healthy tissues. Learn more about cancer surgery.
• Chemotherapy uses specific medicines to destroy cancer cells or stop them from spreading. Our doctors are experts at helping you manage chemotherapy side effects so you can focus on healing. Find out more about chemotherapy.
• Targeted therapy drugs attack certain features (called targets) of a specific cancer subtype. Doctors test tumor tissue or your blood to identify these targets. Learn more about targeted therapy.
• Immunotherapy drugs harness the body’s immune system (disease-fighting abilities) to stop cancer cells from growing or spreading. Our doctors are at the forefront of using immunotherapies to treat early and advanced forms of some cancers, such as kidney cancer and bladder cancer. Find out more about cancer immunotherapy.
• Radiation therapy uses powerful machines and technologies to hit cancer cells with high-energy beams with extreme precision, protecting healthy tissues. Our doctors offer a wide spectrum of radiation therapies, including advanced options not widely available in South Texas. Read more about radiation oncology.
• Hormone therapy uses medication to stop hormones (such as estrogen or testosterone) from helping breast cancer or prostate cancer cells grow. In thyroid cancer cases, therapy restores hormone levels after cancer surgery. Learn more about thyroid hormone therapy.
• Speech and swallow therapy: We offer specialized therapies, such as strengthening exercises and assistive devices, in the event treatment (such as for head and neck cancer) affects how you speak or swallow. Read about speech and swallow therapy during cancer treatment.
• Liver transplant: Through our partnership with University Hospital, our team is one of the few programs in the region offering liver transplants. For people with some liver tumors, we remove the liver and replace it with one from a healthy donor. Learn about our liver tumor and cancer program. 
• Interventional radiology: Nonsurgical procedures offer cancer treatment options for people who cannot have or are awaiting surgery. For conditions like liver cancer, your options may include treatments that are among the most advanced. For example, we offer transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), a therapy that can block the tumor’s blood supply and deliver cancer drugs (chemotherapy).
• Oncology rehabilitation can prevent or treat complications before, during and after cancer treatment. A rehabilitation plan may include help with pain management, improving movement or balance and nutritional counseling. Our services include lymphedema therapy to relieve the pain and swelling that occurs when clear fluid of the lymp system collects in soft tissues. Read more about oncology rehabilitation.
• Fertility Preservation increases a person’s chances of starting a family after cancer treatment. Specialists use the latest research-based methods to secure reproductive tissue (eggs, sperm or embryos) and store it for later use. Men, women and adolescents with specific cancer types may be eligible for these services. Get more information about fertility preservation.

Our team approach to cancer treatment

At our center, cancer treatment is a team effort. Doctors with different areas of focus work closely with scientists to provide precise, personalized care.

Our cancer team includes:

• Surgeons who are nationally recognized for their skill, including surgical oncologists specializing in cancer surgery and plastic surgeons who focus on reconstruction and restoring function  
• Pediatric oncology specialists trained to meet the unique needs of children affected by cancer
• Radiation oncologists who use high-energy radiation therapies to treat cancers with extreme precision, protecting healthy tissues as much as possible
• Medical oncologists who use leading chemotherapy and other drug advances to destroy cancer cells
• Pathologists with expert knowledge of how different cancer cells look and act
• Support professionals, such as dietitians, social workers and palliative care specialists, who help you manage treatment side effects or other ways cancer impacts your life