Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
Mesothelioma treatment centers provide care and services needed specifically by people diagnosed with this disease. They have specialists - surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and other doctors - who know the intricacies of this complex cancer.
Picking the right mesothelioma treatment centers might be the most important medical decision you can make. Don't take it lightly. Do your homework to find the best fit for you. Or you can lean on us for help, and we'll walk you through it.
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Picking Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
It is important to be comfortable with your choices: doctor, treatment strategy, location, for example. You may base your decision on what kind of treatment you need - surgery possibly - and then pick from among a short list of surgeons who specialize in mesothelioma. Remember, not every doctor who treats mesothelioma is a surgeon. Some specialize in radiation treatment, others in pulmonology, for example.
"The most important thing is, if a patient trusts me, if they believe in me," said Abraham Lebenthal, M.D., surgeon at the VA Boston Healthcare System and a former Israeli military company commander in an elite infantry unit. "At the end of the day, we’re going to a really big battle together. The stakes are pretty darn high. If you don’t believe in the person you’re going to battle with, if you’re not comfortable with him, then you should go with someone else."
Other factors you should consider are transportation, time requirements and clinical trial opportunities of the mesothelioma treatment centers. There are financial costs and insurance coverage to think about:
- Do you want to stay close to home for your treatment?
- Do you mind traveling if you can get more specialized care?
- Will a VA benefit cover your travel, or will you have to pay your own travel expenses?
- Do you want a cancer center that has benefits for your family (free or affordable housing, for example)?
These are questions you will want to ask yourself, and also ask of doctors and hospitals you consider.
Prominent Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
- UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
- University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
More Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
- Duke Cancer Institute
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
- NYU Langone Cancer Center
Rarity of Mesothelioma Makes a Specialist So Vital
The rarity of mesothelioma - only an estimated 3,000 Americans are diagnosed year - in comparison to many other cancers is what makes a specialist so important. Most doctors rarely see it and don’t understand it fully. A specialist does.
"To understand the subtleties of mesothelioma, you need an expert. This isn’t lung cancer," said Hedy Kindler, M.D., director of the Mesothelioma Program at the University of Chicago Medical Center. "It’s important to have someone who is comfortable with the disease, a quarterback who understands all the options out there."
Too often with mesothelioma, patients are misdiagnosed initially and begin treatment for a problem they really don’t have. Many of the first symptoms of mesothelioma are the same ones that often occur with less-serious illnesses. It’s why an individual’s history of possible asbestos exposure - the cause of mesothelioma - should be communicated early to a physician who understands it.
Surgeries, chemotherapy drugs, radiation treatments - all part of a multimodality approach - can be different for mesothelioma. The best treatments today for this cancer are specialized and no longer a one-size-fits-all regimen. A decade ago, the prognosis for a mesothelioma patient usually meant six to 12 months to live. The specialized mesothelioma treatment centers today are extending lives beyond that grim prognosis.
There are a growing number of people living for five years or more with the disease. Many of the mesothelioma treatment centers have patients who have lived for 10 years, and still are going strong with specialized proper care. Although no cure has been found, there is a belief that mesothelioma one day will be treated like a chronic illness.
"I still am amazed at the number of people who do not get referred to a specialty center," said Richard Alexander, M.D., surgeon at the Greenbaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland. "Take the initiative to find out where to go for experienced and expert advice."
Veterans a Special Case
A higher percentage of veterans develop mesothelioma than the general public does, making veterans a group in need of mesothelioma treatment centers. Although their military history makes them eligible for treatment at VA hospitals, that doesn't mean there aren't choices to make. The VA has hospitals that specialize in mesothelioma treatment.
The trick is to know that fact. Once in the VA Healthcare system, a veteran can seek treatment anywhere in the country, needing only a referral to receive specialized care.
Lebenthal specializes in both mesothelioma and veterans issues. His own military background plays a role in that interest. Because veterans are disproportionately affected - approximately one third of all mesothelioma cases in this country - he has encouraged all veterans with the disease to find him.
The mesothelioma program in Boston often can arrange free or discounted housing. The biggest cost is the travel, for many veterans, but there also are charitable organizations that can help.
"This is not a knock on anyone, but mesothelioma is so complex, and its care so specialized, that a patient really needs the best care in the world," Lebenthal said. "We’re in a unique position to offer that."
View Article Sources
- Kindler, H. (2012, February.) University of Chicago Medical Center. Phone interview with Hedy Kindler, M.D.
- Lebenthal, A. (2011, September.) Brigham and Women.s Hospital. Phone interview with Abraham Lebenthal, M.D.
- Alexander, R. (2011, October.) University of Maryland. Phone interview with Richard Alexander, M.D
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