Dr. Robert L. Foote

Dr. Robert L. Foote, MD is an Emeritus Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, MN. He is considered to be one of the pre-eminent radiation oncologists in the US with over 35 years of dedicated practice and leadership at Mayo Clinic and is well-recognized for his contributions and expertise in head and neck cancers and advanced radiation technology.

• Professional Background

  • 35+ years in practice
  • Affiliation with Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
  • Positions held at Mayo Clinic from 1988-2021 include Instructor, Senior Associate Consultant, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Vice Chair of Radiation Oncology (2000-2005), Chair of Radiation Oncology (2009-2019), Hitachi Professor of Radiation Oncology Research (2018-2021)
  • Specializations in head and neck neoplasia, stereotactic radiosurgery, proton beam therapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy, image-guided and adaptive radiotherapy, endocrine tumors, lung cancer
  • Medical school obtained MD in 1984 at the University of Utah School of Medicine and BS degree in 1980 at Brigham Young University
  • Medical education received at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine where Dr. Foote completed his Radiation Oncology residency from 1985-1988, and at Shands Teaching Hospital, University of Florida, Gainesville where Dr. Foote received his fellowship in Head and Neck Radiation Oncology.
  • Board Certified in Radiation Oncology, is a Fellow of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology and a Fellow of the American College of Radiology

• Contributions

  • Built the radiation oncology head and neck cancer clinical practice at Mayo Clinic and contributed to the establishment of the Gamma Knife radiation surgery program at Mayo Clinic.
  • Served as Mayo Clinic's Principal Investigator of a phase II NCI-funded study of proton or intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced sinonasal malignancy.
  • Contributed to the redesign of Mayo Clinic's clinical practice model, the development of a new clinical research infrastructure, the introduction of the practice of proton beam radiotherapy, and the establishment of a prospective patient outcomes database.
  • His research interests are primarily in head and neck neoplasia, stereotactic radiosurgery, radiation-induced mucositis and xerostomia, proton beam therapy, carbon ion therapy, and adaptive radiotherapy.

Dr. Foote has defined an era of radiation oncology at Mayo Clinic through transformative leadership in institution-wide endeavors and his significant achievements in clinical research, and modern radiotherapy technologies.