Mesothelioma Cancer Centers

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Benefits of Getting Treatment at a Mesothelioma Cancer Center

Choosing to get treated at a cancer center after a mesothelioma diagnosis is very important. Because mesothelioma is so rare and aggressive, being treated at a specialized mesothelioma cancer center will give you the best chance of reaching long-term survival.

Fortunately, there are many hospitals in the U.S. that offer treatments for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

These facilities are home to:

• Mesothelioma surgeons (who can remove cancer tumors)
• Pathologists (who study cancer cells)
• Radiation oncologists (who use radiation to kill cancer cells)
• Social workers (who serve as advocates for cancer patients)

These professionals and others work together to develop the most effective treatment plan based on the specific factors of your case (such as type of mesothelioma, stage, and cell type).

There are dozens of civilian mesothelioma hospitals in the country and veterans with mesothelioma have even more options. These veterans can often access care from medical centers within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which don’t treat civilians.

Get a Free Veterans Packet to learn about top mesothelioma treatment centers.

Top VA Cancer Centers for Veterans With Mesothelioma

There are several mesothelioma cancer centers within the VA health care system. These centers care for veterans who developed mesothelioma after military asbestos exposure. Some of the world's top mesothelioma doctors work at these VA cancer centers.

The West Los Angeles VA Medical Center has treated veterans with pleural mesothelioma since 1998. It is the largest hospital in the VA system that treats mesothelioma patients and is part of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

World-renowned mesothelioma specialist Dr. Robert Cameron leads the cancer program at this facility.

Dr. Cameron developed a groundbreaking surgery for mesothelioma called the pleurectomy with decortication (P/D). Unlike other mesothelioma surgeries, a P/D does not remove the lung closest to the cancer tumors, helping preserve quality of life.

Other treatment options at the West Los Angeles VA include:

• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• New treatments through clinical trials

The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System is accredited by the Joint Commission, a nonprofit that seeks to improve the standards of medical care. Being accredited means that the facility provides the highest quality medical treatment to patients.

This mesothelioma cancer center also offers housing and transportation programs for veterans that don’t live near Los Angeles.

Visit the UCLA Health website to learn more about Dr. Robert Cameron.

The VA Boston Healthcare System treats veterans with mesothelioma who often live on the East Coast.

The VA Boston Healthcare System treats hundreds of pleural mesothelioma patients each year using surgeries such as the P/D, extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), and video-assisted thoracic surgery. It also offers mesothelioma clinical trials that may help improve life expectancy of veterans with mesothelioma.

This facility is partnered with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, one of the top civilian mesothelioma treatment centers, to make sure veterans get the best care possible.

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center began treating mesothelioma patients in 2019. A multidisciplinary team, including mesothelioma specialists Dr. Lorraine Cornwell and Dr. Taylor Ripley (who treats patients at Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine), partnered to found this program.

“The work we’re doing with the VA as we ramp up and start to see more and more patients with mesothelioma in Houston has the Baylor program right across the street to support that as it grows.”

– Dr. Taylor Ripley, Mesothelioma Specialist

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center treats pleural mesothelioma under Dr. Cornwell’s leadership. Also, it is currently the only VA hospital that offers treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma under the direction of Dr. Eugene A. Choi.

Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer Centers

Outside of the VA, veterans and non-veterans can get treatment from civilian mesothelioma cancer centers across the U.S. Many civilian cancer centers treat pleural mesothelioma. Learn more about these hospitals below.

Baylor College of Medicine’s Mesothelioma Treatment Center treats pleural mesothelioma under the direction of Dr. Taylor Ripley.

“My personal career purpose and the Mesothelioma Treatment Center team’s daily focus are on finding a cure for this disease. We will continue our battle with this disease and commit to doing our very best for each patient and family we treat.”

– Dr. Taylor Ripley, Mesothelioma Specialist

Dr. Ripley and his colleagues ensure that each patient receives specialized treatments that fit their needs and diagnosis.

Get a Free Veterans Packet to see how you can access pleural mesothelioma treatments.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston opened in 1832 and is one of the oldest treatment centers in the country. This hospital’s specialists are world-renowned for treating mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.

The IMP has helped hundreds of patients with mesothelioma find the best treatments under the direction of Dr. Raphael Bueno. Through the IMP, mesothelioma patients can access established treatments and new ones through clinical trials.

Recent clinical trials at this cancer center included:

• A new method for noting the stage and prognosis of patients
• A pre-surgery drug (defactinib) study for patients
• A study aimed to better understand how patients’ blood clots during surgery

Brigham and Women’s Hospital is closely partnered with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, and the VA to ensure cancer patients get the best care possible.

The Mayo Clinic has on-staff mesothelioma doctors that can treat this cancer through standard options like surgery. There are several Mayo Clinic locations across the country.

Cities with major Mayo Clinic hospitals include:

• Jacksonville, Florida
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Rochester, Minnesota
• Scottsdale, Arizona

Mayo Clinic facilities can also offer patients with mesothelioma a chance to participate in clinical trials that could improve their condition.

Clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic are currently studying:

• Intrapleural cryotherapy (freezing of cancer tumors) for pleural mesothelioma
• Surgery for resectable pleural mesothelioma after radiation therapy
• Survival of patients who received chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation

The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center was founded in 1955 and has been treating mesothelioma patients since 1997. It employs some of the best mesothelioma doctors in the country.

Dr. Robert B. Cameron serves as the director of comprehensive mesothelioma care at this facility while also treating veterans at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center.

Its mesothelioma treatment program uses a combination of surgery and follow-up therapies to help patients live longer with fewer serious side effects.

This mesothelioma cancer center is highly regarded across the nation. It was ranked the Fifth best hospital in the nation by U.S. News & Report in 2022 and was also ranked as the second-best hospital in Los Angeles.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center serves cancer patients in Texas. Noted mesothelioma specialist Dr. Anne Tsao currently serves as the director of MD Anderson’s mesothelioma program.

Under Dr. Tsao’s leadership, over 30 medical experts work together to develop custom patient care plans. This includes using both well-accepted mesothelioma treatments like surgery, radiation, and clinical trials.

“We constantly test new boundaries with research. Because of this, we can offer many clinical trials (research studies) of new treatments that are not available at other centers. In fact, the dedicated mesothelioma research program at MD Anderson is one of the few in the world.”

– MD Anderson Cancer Center

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

Cancer centers that treat peritoneal mesothelioma have care teams on staff that have years — if not decades — of experience treating patients. Learn about some of the top peritoneal mesothelioma treatment centers below.

The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center is unique because it treats all other types of cancer in addition to peritoneal mesothelioma.

This is helpful for patients diagnosed with extremely rare forms of the disease (such as pericardial mesothelioma), as only a handful of facilities have the resources to treat them.

Moffitt Cancer Center also works to make mesothelioma treatment easier for patients. Patients can access all types of treatment without traveling to multiple locations since Moffitt has oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and surgeons available in one location.

Get a Free Veterans Packet to find local peritoneal mesothelioma cancer centers.

The MedStar Washington Hospital Center is home to the Washington Cancer Institute, which employs some of the top cancer experts currently practicing.

Notably, peritoneal mesothelioma specialist Dr. Paul Sugarbaker treated thousands of patients at this facility before his retirement. Dr. Sugarbaker developed a combination of abdominal surgery and heated chemotherapy to help patients live longer.

This treatment, cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC, removes all visible cancer tumors and then bathes the surgery site in cancer-killing drugs. 60% of patients survive at least 5 years after this procedure.

Cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC is still used today at this cancer center and others throughout the country.

MedStar Washington Hospital Center also has clinical trials available to give patients other options if their cancer does not respond to standard treatments.

The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC) has been treating mesothelioma for over 25 years. Leading UCCCC’s mesothelioma program is Dr. Hedy Lee Kindler, who specializes in peritoneal mesothelioma and pleural mesothelioma.

A team of radiologists, surgeons, and palliative care providers work to ensure mesothelioma patients get the best care possible.

Notable treatment options available to mesothelioma patients at this facility include cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC and cutting-edge clinical trials.

With a mesothelioma program led by specialist Dr. James Pingpank, the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center treats up to 200 people with peritoneal cancer every year.

“A leader in peritoneal metastases and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) cases, [we run] one of the world’s busiest surgical oncology programs.”

– UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Due to the cancer center’s skill at treating patients, it has been designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This means the hospital constantly works to improve the way it diagnoses and treats cancer so patients can get the best care possible.

Full List of Mesothelioma Cancer Centers

The cancer centers listed above are only a few across the United States that can help those with mesothelioma. In fact, dozens of hospitals are able to treat this rare cancer. Connect with a mesothelioma cancer center near you below.

Tips for Choosing the Right Mesothelioma Cancer Center

As you seek out mesothelioma cancer centers to work with, it’s important to find one that is close to you and has doctors available that will meet your health care needs. These factors and others can make the overall treatment process easier for you and your family.

See a few factors that can help you choose a mesothelioma cancer center below.

Look for Top Mesothelioma Doctors

When choosing a cancer center, make sure the doctors on staff are approachable, helpful, and highly experienced in treating mesothelioma. You need a medical team that you can trust and that will make you feel at ease during your mesothelioma journey.

Top mesothelioma cancer centers employ caring and dedicated specialists who will help clients navigate life during treatment.

Find Access to a Range of Treatments

Each type of mesothelioma requires very different treatments in order to improve quality of life and help patients live longer.

As a result, you’ll need to make sure that the mesothelioma cancer center you choose can properly treat the type of this cancer that you have.

Explore Available Clinical Trials

Clinical trials allow mesothelioma patients to access and receive newer — and possibly better —  that aren’t available to the general public.

Several newer mesothelioma treatments (like immunotherapy) were approved for mainstream use after positive results in clinical trials.

Clinical trials only take a select group of patients depending on their mesothelioma type, cancer cell type, stage, and more. Due to this, it's helpful to find a cancer center that has a wide range of clinical trials available. The more clinical trials a cancer center has, the better the odds you’ll have of joining one.

Consider Treatment Costs

Mesothelioma cancer centers will have varying treatment costs, so it’s important to understand what you have to pay ahead of time.

Note that you can seek financial compensation that can help pay for some of these costs. This is because mesothelioma is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. These dangers of asbestos were kept secret by the manufacturers for decades, making them liable to nearly everyone who develops mesothelioma.

There are many forms of financial compensation available for mesothelioma victims as a result, from asbestos trust fund claims to asbestos lawsuits. Veterans who suffer from mesothelioma can also access VA health care benefits to find treatment and pay associated costs.

The best cancer centers may be able to connect you with resources that will help you access this compensation and mitigate your out-of-pocket treatment costs.

Find a Top Mesothelioma Cancer Center

The VA knows the sacrifices you made to protect your country. That’s why VA mesothelioma treatment centers have partnerships with some of the world’s best cancer doctors. These cancer centers provide the best care possible and can help you pursue long-term survival.

Civilian mesothelioma centers can also be very helpful if you decide to not pursue treatments through the VA.

Get a Free Veterans Packet today to find high-quality mesothelioma cancer centers near you. This in-depth guide also includes information about key mesothelioma treatments, top doctors, VA benefits, and financial aid.