Mesothelioma Specialists

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has designated 40 cancer centers throughout the United States as "Comprehensive" centers. These elite centers have been recognized for their focus on scientific excellence and have dedicated themselves to the prevention, treatment and cure of cancer. Following is a list of Cancer Centers by state.

For veterans wishing to be treated at a Veterans Health Administration (VA) cancer care facility, click here for a listing by state.

Alabama

UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center

1824 6th Avenue, S.

Birmingham, AL 35294

Request an appointment: (800) UAB-0933 or (205) 975-8222

Arizona

Arizona Cancer Center

1515 N. Campbell Avenue 

Tucson, AZ 85724

Request an appointment: (520) 626-2900

California

City of Hope National Medical Center

1500 E. Duarte Road

Duarte, CA 91010

Request an appointment: (866) 434-HOPE (4673)

University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Moores Cancer Center

3855 Health Sciences Drive

La Jolla, CA 92093

Request an appointment: (866) 773-2703 or (858) 822-6200

UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

10833 Le Conte Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90095

Request an appointment: (310) 206-6909, (310) 794-1648 or 

(310) 794-6726

USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

1441 Eastlake Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90033

Request an appointment: (323) 865-3000

University of California, Irvine (UCI) Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

101 The City Drive, S.

Orange, CA 92868

Request an appointment: (877) UCI-DOCS (824-3627)

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Comprehensive Cancer Center

1600 Divisadero Street

San Francisco, CA 94115

Request an appointment: (888) 689-8273 or (415) 885-7777

Stanford University Comprehensive Cancer Center

875 Blake Wilbur Drive

Stanford, CA 94305

Request an appointment: (877) 668-7535

Colorado

University of Colorado Cancer Center

1665 N. Ursula Street

Aurora, CO 80045

Request an appointment: (800) 473-2288 or (720) 848-0300

Connecticut

Yale Cancer Center

15 York Street

New Haven, CT 06510

Request an appointment: (203) 785-4191

District of Columbia

Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University

3800 Reservoir Road, NW

Washington, DC 20007

Request an appointment: (202) 444-2223

Florida

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute

12902 Magnolia Drive

Tampa, FL 33612

Request an appointment: (888) 860-2778 or (813) 979-3980

Illinois

Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University

Galter Pavilion

675 N. St. Clair, 21st Floor

Chicago, IL 60611

Request an appointment: (866) LURIE-CC (587-4322)

Iowa

University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center

200 Hawkins Drive

Iowa City, IA 52242

Request an appointment: (319) 356-4200 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (M-F)

(800) 777-8442 or

(319) 384-8442 (After hours)

Maryland

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

401 N. Broadway

Baltimore, MD 21231

Request an appointment: (410) 955-5222

Massachusetts

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

44 Binney Street

Boston, MA 02115

Request an appointment: (877) 332-4294

Michigan

University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

1500 E. Medical Center Drive

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Request an appointment: (800) 865-1125

Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

4100 John R

Detroit, MI 48201

Request an appointment: (800) KARMANOS (527-6266)

Minnesota

University of Minnesota Cancer Center

425 E. River Road

Minneapolis, MN 55455

Request an appointment: (888) CANCER MN (226-2376)

(Toll Free in IA, MN, ND, SD, WI)

(612) 624-2620 (Outside Area)

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center

200 First Street, SW

Rochester, MN 55905

Request an appointment: (507) 538-3270

Missouri

Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine 

660 S. Euclid Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63110

Request an appointment: (877) 251-6485 or (314) 747-3046

New Hampshire

Norris Cotton Cancer Center

One Medical Center Drive

Lebanon, NH 03756

Request an appointment: (603) 653-9000

New Jersey

Cancer Hospital of New Jersey at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

195 Little Albany Street

New Brunswick, NJ 08903

Request an appointment: (732) 828-3000

New York

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Elm and Carlton Streets

Buffalo, NY 14263

Request an appointment: (800) ROSWELL (767-9355)

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

1275 York Avenue

New York, NY 10021

Request an appointment: (800) 525-2225

Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center

161 Fort Washington Avenue

New York, NY 10032

Request an appointment: (877) NYP-WELL (697-9355)

North Carolina

University of North Carolina (UNC) Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

102 West Drive

Chapel Hill, NC 27599

Request an appointment: (866) 828-0270

Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center

Erwin Road

Durham, NC 27710

Request an appointment: (888) ASK-DUKE (275-3853)

Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Medical Center Boulevard

Winston-Salem, NC 27157

Request an appointment: (800) 446-2255 or (336) 716-2255

Ohio

Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ireland Cancer Center

11100 Euclid Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44106

Request an appointment: (800) 641-2422

Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital & Richard J. Solove Research Institute

300 W. 10th Avenue

Columbus, OH 43210

Request an appointment: (800) 293-5066 or (614) 293-5066

Pennsylvania

Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania

3400 Spruce Street

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Request an appointment: (800) 789-PENN (7366)

Fox Chase Cancer Center

333 Cottman Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19111

Request an appointment: (215) 728-2570

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute

5150 Centre Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15232

Request an appointment: (412) 647-2811

Tennessee

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

691 Preston Building

Nashville, TN 37232

Request an appointment: (800) 811-8480

Texas

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

1515 Holcombe Boulevard

Houston, TX 77030

Request an appointment: (800) 392-1611 or (713) 792-6161

Vermont

Vermont Cancer Center at the University of Vermont

89 Beaumont Avenue

Burlington, VT 05405

Request an appointment: (802) 656-4414

Washington

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

1100 Fairview Avenue, N.

Seattle, WA 98109 

Request an appointment: (800) 804-8824 or (206) 288-1024

Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center

600 Highland Avenue

Madison, WI 53792

Request an appointment: (800) 622-8922

 

NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE CANCER CENTERS

UC Davis Cancer Center

4501 X Street

Sacramento, CA 95817

Request an appointment: (800) 362-5566 or (916) 734-5900

University of Chicago Hospitals

5841 S. Maryland Avenue

Chicago, IL 60637

Request an appointment: (888) UCH-0200

NYU Cancer Institute

550 First Avenue

New York, NY 10016

Request an appointment: (888) 7-NYU-MED (769-8633)

The Cleveland Clinic, Taussig Cancer Center

9500 Euclid Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44195

Request an appointment: (866) 320-4573 or (216) 444-5501

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD

 

Thoughts on choosing a cancer treatment.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal Mesothelioma (Abdominal Mesothelioma)

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma

is an extremely rare condition. Only 100 to 500 cases are diagnosed in the US each year, making up less than 30% of all mesothelioma cases.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer affecting the abdominal lining, or peritoneum (paira-tin-e-um), which is why is is sometimes referred to as abdominal mesothelioma. This membrane supports and covers the organs of the abdomen.

The peritoneum is made of two parts, the visceral and parietal peritoneum. The visceral peritoneum covers the internal organs and makes up most of the outer layer of the intestinal tract. Covering the abdominal cavity is the parietal peritoneum.

Cells in these linings secrete a fluid which allows organs to move against one another. For instance, as the intestines move food through the body. The cells of the mesothelium are designed to create fluid, but the cancer causes them to overproduce, creating a build up of excess fluid in the abdominal cavity.

Because pleural mesothelioma is more common and often spreads to the peritoneal cavity, it is important to determine if pleural mesothelioma is the primary cancer.

• I need a peritoneal mesothelioma lawyer.

How does asbestos cause peritoneal mesothelioma?

Although there's no definitive explanation, it is widely believed that asbestos causes peritoneal mesothelioma in one of two ways. First, asbestos fibers may be ingested, and when in the intestinal tract, the fibers may work themselves into the peritoneal cavity and peritoneum. Second, they may be inhaled and transported through the lymph node system to the peritoneal cavity.

Mesothelioma Attorney

Questions to ask when selecting a mesothelioma attorney.

These pages provide consumer tips for how to deal with the financial aspects of selecting a mesothelioma attorney.   They do not provide any information regarding the medical aspects of this serious disease.

Since so much is at stake, selecting the right mesothelioma lawyer is very important.   According the Wall Street Journal, lawyers say a typical mesothelioma award in a mesothelioma settlement is $1 million, and attorneys get 40% of this amount.   If the case actually goes to trial, the average award was $6 million in 2001, which was triple the amount awarded just two years earlier.

So, mesothelioma attorneys are very eager to find mesothelioma patients.   And it's vital that patients select the mesothelioma attorneys that are best for them.

A Brief Background on Your Legal Rights Regarding Mesothelioma

Companies that manufacture products that contain asbestos have known for over 60 years that asbestos can cause serious diseases.

Unfortunately, because many of these companies wanted to increase their profits, they kept this information quiet, thereby seriously endangering their workers.  

There are now laws that help protect the workers who have been harmed by their exposure to these asbestos-related products.  

However, since representing mesothelioma can be so profitable to attorneys, it is important that people who have mesothelioma be especially careful selecting attorneys who are really qualified to represent them.   Therefore, we have created a list of...

Important Questions to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney

Question #1 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney:

What is your personal experience in representing mesothelioma patients?   Your goal is to find out how many cases the attorney has actually handled.  

You also want to know: how many of these were settled, and how many of these went to trial?   What were the results of each case?

You should ask the same questions about his or her law firm.   You're goal is to find out about the firm -- is this an area the firm specializes in?

Question #2 to Ask When Selecting a Mesothelioma Attorney:

Next, you want to ask if the lawyer intends to actually handle your case him or herself.   Many attorneys simply refer these cases to another law firm and receive part of the fee in exchange.   This may not be in your best interest.

Click here for more questions to ask when selecting a mesothelioma lawyer 

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Early Diagnosis Is Critical For Effective Treatment of Mesothelioma

Cancer is one of the most fatal diseases nowadays. It doesn?t choose its victims. Men and women alike, old and young die of cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the mesothelium, specifically the Pleura (membrane that surrounds the lungs) and the Peritoneum (membrane surrounding the abdomen). Both Pleural Mesothelioma and Peritoneum Mesothelioma are primarily caused by the inhalation or exposure to asbestos, an incombustible fibrous mineral of impure magnesium silicate used in various industrial products. About 30 to 50 per cent of the total Mesothelioma cancer patients had not been exposed to asbestos, yet they have acquired the disease. Cancer specialists continue to study this rare kind of cancer so as to provide the public clear and exact information with regard to its cause, nature and cure.

Like many other forms of cancer, Mesothelioma has different stages. The earliest stage is still curable since only one layer of the pleura is affected. Surgery is the number one option for patients with Stage I Mesothelioma. The doctor removes the part of the lining of the lungs or chest (in case of Pleural Mesothelioma) and the lining of the abdomen (in case of Peritoneal Mesothelioma). In Stage II Mesothelioma, surgery can still be executed although some lymph nodes may have already been infected by the malignant Mesothelioma cancer cells. The diaphragm may also be removed; in severe cases, the Mesothelioma patient has to sacrifice one of his lungs.

Usually, surgery comes with systemic treatments, which include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Through radiotherapy, Mesothelioma cancer cells are killed; however, only the cells in the treated area die. High energy rays used in radiotherapy or radiation therapy may either come from an external machine or from thin plastic tubes positioned into the tissues where Mesothelioma cancer-stricken cells are found. Inside the plastic tubes are radiation-emitting materials that kill the malignant cells. The use of an external machine is called external radiation therapy while the other is called internal radiation therapy. Also, a radioactive substance such as radiolabeled monoclonal antibody is circulated around the body during radiotherapy.

Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs to kill the malignant cells. In treating Mesothelioma, the anti-cancer drugs are usually given to the patient through intravenous injection (within the vein). Oncologists are still studying the possibility of treating Mesothelioma through intracavitary chemotherapy (within the chest or abdomen). Some Mesothelioma patients also undergo Photodynamic therapy, a kind of cancer therapy that combines the use of drug (photosensitizer) with a specific kind of light. The photosensitizing agent when exposed to the light produce oxygen that destroys nearby malignant cancer cells. The drug is injected into the bloodstream and is absorbed by the cells.

In order to relieve the symptoms of Mesothelioma such as the pain in the chest or abdomen due to the build up of fluid, a physician drains the fluid by using a needle. The procedure is known as thoracentesis (removal of fluid in the chest) or paracentesis (removal of the fluid in the abdomen). To prevent further accumulation of the lubricating fluid in the membranes of the chest or abdomen, drugs are given through a tube in the affected organ.

Although the said treatments to Mesothelioma have been proven effective, chance of recovery and survival still depends on the size or extent of the cancer. Chances are higher when Mesothelioma is still in its early stages. Surgery is only advisable only up to the second stage of the Mesothelioma cancer wherein only one part or smaller portions of the membranes are affected. A patient diagnosed with stage IV Mesothelioma (diffuse Mesothelioma) has only about 4-24 months to live. Furthermore, the age of the patient and his general health condition is also crucial to his recovery. Older patients do not respond well to certain cancer treatments such as surgery because their tissues, organs and other body parts are more delicate.