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Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
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Share ArticleAs a patient makes decisions about what type of treatment to pursue, s/he may also consider seeking care at a treatment center that specializes in mesothelioma. There are a number of such treatment centers across the country. Cancer centers develop their reputations based on the expertise of physicians and other clinicians, the portfolio services offered on-site (including diagnostic, laboratory and support services), and the research they conduct.
Different treatment centers are known for different specialties. For example, one of the more aggressive, complicated forms of treatment for mesothelioma is a surgical procedure called an extrapleural pneumonectomy. This surgery is only performed by experienced surgeons in larger medical centers. More common types of treatment, such as chemotherapy, can be accessed in a local oncologist’s office.
Patient advocacy organizations advise patients and their families to thoroughly research available treatments and treatment centers before making a decision. Patients are also encouraged to reflect upon and articulate their wishes and to make informed decisions about the type of care to seek, and the ways that they want to spend time and energy. While treatment centers offer the benefit of more specialized care, they may also involve being away from home and family. Some people decide to travel great distances to be seen at a particular facility, or by a particular specialist. Others decide to pursue care with their local physician, or at their local community hospital.
The American Cancer Society (ACS), which is widely recognized as one the nation’s leading cancer education and advocacy organization, has developed a set of tools and resources to support patients in making care decisions that are most closely matched to their needs and wishes. These include worksheets about selecting the right doctor, which encourage patients to ask their doctor questions such as “What is your subspecialty?” and “How many years of experience do you have in treating mesothelioma?”. The ACS also provides worksheets and resources about how to choose the right treatment facility, evaluating factors such as the range of services offered on-site and whether a facility is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations (JCAHO) (1).
The ACS recommends the following resources in learning about treatment centers.
1) Choose a Cancer Center that is listed by the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer (CoC). Cancer Centers offer not only specialized clinician expertise, but also support services for patients and families, such as education and support groups. The CoC’s database includes over 1,400 listings.
2) Choose a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center. These NCI Cancer Centers conduct interdisciplinary research in cancer and may offer access to the newest treatments and clinical trials. The NCI’s Cancer Institute can be accessed at: http://www.cancer.gov/. This site includes a listing of clinical trials and information about the newly-launched National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program, which is bringing the latest in cancer care to local community hospitals (2).
3) Choose a member of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI). Te AACI includes 89 cancer research centers across the nation, including many NCI centers. AACI members offer “comprehensive and multidisciplinary program of cancer research, treatment, patient care, prevention, education and community outreach” (3,4).
The databases and websites that are referenced contain information about general cancer centers. Because mesothelioma is a rarer form of cancer, there are fewer cancer centers that specialize in treating this disease. A patient, patient advocate or physician can contact a center to determine its level of expertise with mesothelioma. Additionally, a list of treatment centers that are known to specialize in mesothelioma is provided below, organized by state.
ALABAMA
University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
1824 Sixth Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-3300
ALASKA
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
1650 Cowles Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701
(907) 452-8181
CALIFORNIA
Tower Hematology/Oncology
8635 West Third Street, Suite 665W
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Sharp Health Care
10835 Road to the Cure
San Diego, CA 92121
COLORADO
University of Colorado
4200 East 9th Avenue, B-189
Denver, CO 80262
FLORIDA
Oncology Hematology Group of South Florida
8940 North Kendall Drive, Suite 300E
Miami, FL 33176
ILLNOIS
University of Chicago Medical Center, Section of Hematology/Oncology
5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC2115
Chicago, IL 60637-1470
KENTUCKY
Kentuckiana Cancer Institute
100 E. Liberty Street, Suite 502
Louisville, KY 40202
MASSACHUSETTS
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
U-Mass Memorial Cancer Center
Division of Hematology/Oncology
55 Lake Avenue North
Worcester, MA 01655-001
NEW JERSEY
Somerset Medical Center
110 Rehill Avenue
Somerville, NJ 08876
NEW YORK
Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center
161 Fort Washington Avenue
New York, NY 10032
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue
New York, NY 10065
PENNSYLVANIA
Presbyterian Medical Center, U. PA Health System
Medical Arts Building
51 North 39th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
TENNESSEE
Thompson Cancer Survival Center
1915 White Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37916
TEXAS
Lone Star Oncology
11044 Research Boulevard, Suite D400
Austin, TX 78759
S. R. Burzynski Clinic
9432 Old Katy, Suite 200
Houston, TX 77055
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Thoracic Head & Neck Med Onc, Box 432
1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, TX 77030
VIRGINIA
H.O.P.E.
459 Locust Ave.
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Virginia Oncology Associates
895 Middle Ground Boulevard #200
Newport News, VA 23606 (5).
If a patient exhausts all treatment options or has a life expectancy of less than six months, she or he may choose to pursue hospice, or palliative, care, which focuses on alleviating symptoms and providing comfort in the final stage of a person’s life. In palliative care, patients receive pain medications and other comfort measures to ensure that they experience as little pain as possible. Hospice staff, which include physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains, work with a patient and his/her family to meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs in the final stage of life. Many communities have local hospices which support patients and caregivers in providing care in the home. Some hospices also have inpatient facilities for patients who have more intensive needs, or who do not have a caregiver. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization offers a database of hospices that can be accessed at: http://www.nhpco.org/custom/directory/main.cfm.
- American Cancer Society. “How to Choose the Right Hospital.” 2007.
Accessed: 20 July 2007. - National Cancer Institute. “NCI Launches a Pilot of its Community Cancer Centers Program to Bring Quality Cancer Care to All” 14 June 2007.
Accessed: July 20, 2007. - Association of American Cancer Institutes. Homepage.
Accessed: 20 July 2007. - American Cancer Society. “Find Treatment Centers.” 2007.
Accessed: 20 July 2007. - Resource 4 Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma Information and Legal Guide. “Mesothelioma Treatment Centers.” 11 January 2007.
Accessed: 20 July 2007.
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