Sean C. Dowdy, MD, focuses on improving the quality of surgery delivered to women with gynecologic cancers by reducing complications, accelerating recovery, and improving patient satisfaction. Dr. Dowdy studies the genetic changes in ovarian cancer that predict improved response to treatment, and identifies new treatment options for both ovarian and endometrial cancer.
Dr. Dowdy is the clinical director for the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for the Department of Surgery at Mayo Clinic. He has led a number of successful interventions to accelerate postoperative recovery, reduce length of hospital stay, improve pain control, and reduce complications such as surgical site infections for women undergoing surgery for gynecologic cancers.
Using next-generation sequencing technologies, Dr. Dowdy and his team identified subtypes of ovarian cancer more likely to respond to specific therapies. This work continues with the goal of identification of patients whose cancers are most likely to recur in order to reduce side effects from ineffective treatments.
Dr. Dowdy has worked to disseminate his surgical quality improvements beyond Rochester to the Mayo Clinic Health System and to national and international audiences.