Utah mesothelioma treatment and doctors can be found at the state’s only cancer center recognized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for excellence. Utah residents with a mesothelioma diagnosis will find specialists here but also excellent care at other facilities in the state.
Utah Cancer Centers
The NCI has recognized just one facility in Utah as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the NCI. The Huntsman Cancer Institute received this exclusive designation for its outstanding patient care and dedication to cancer research.
Huntsman is the most comprehensive treatment center in Utah, but it is not the only choice for residents battling mesothelioma.
Huntsman Cancer Institute
A part of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Huntsman is the premier cancer treatment and research center in the state. It received the NCI designation in 2015 and currently employs over 200 researchers.
Huntsman serves the largest area of any Comprehensive Cancer Center in the country. Patients come from several states in the region for treatment. Mesothelioma patients have many reasons to choose Huntsman for care:[1]
- Huntsman has the facilities and staff necessary to treat both pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma.
- Huntsman’s physicians collaborate on treatment plans for patients to give them the best options.
- Treatment options include standard therapies like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
- Patients also benefit from cutting-edge treatments, including CAR T-cell therapy and other immunotherapies, advanced radiation therapies, robotic surgeries, stem cell transplants, proton therapy, and targeted therapy.
- Patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may receive HIPEC here, an innovative and effective treatment for this cancer that not all facilities are able to provide.
- Clinical trials at Huntsman give patients access to the latest developments in cancer treatment.
- Specialty and support services include financial advocacy, a wellness and integrative center, complementary and alternative medicine, support groups and social work, rehabilitation, housing, and spiritual care.
Intermountain Cancer Center
Although the NCI has not recognized it, the Intermountain Cancer Center is another excellent treatment facility for cancer patients in Utah. With several locations in the state, patients do not need to travel far for good care. Mesothelioma patients benefit from several services offered here:[2]
- Intermountain uses a comprehensive team approach to patient care, creating multi-specialty groups of physicians to work on the problem of each patient’s unique cancer and situation.
- Supportive members of these teams add to the experience. They include financial advocates, caregivers, dietitians, genetic counselors, a nurse navigator, and social workers.
- The Lung Cancer Team provides patients with pleural mesothelioma targeted treatment plans. These may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, laser therapy, and photodynamic therapy.
- The Gastrointestinal Cancer Team may be able to help peritoneal patients, although it does not offer HIPEC.
Mesothelioma Specialists in Utah
Most of the physicians with experience working with mesothelioma patients are part of the collaborative teams at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Laura A. Lambert, M.D.
Dr. Lambert is a professor of surgery and is also the Director of the Peritoneal Malignancy Program. Her area of specialty is the surgical treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Lambert is one of the very few people in the region who can perform cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.[3]
Shiven B. Patel, M.D.
Dr. Patel is an assistant professor and medical oncologist at the University of Utah and Huntsman. He specializes in the treatment of thoracic cancers, including pleural mesothelioma. Dr. Patel is also a seasoned researcher who leads clinical trials at Huntsman.[4]
Thomas K. Varghese, Jr., M.D.
Dr. Varghese is the Head of the Section of General Thoracic Surgery and the Interim Executive Medical Director at Huntsman. A thoracic surgeon, Dr. Varghese, is an essential member of the pleural mesothelioma treatment team. He specializes in minimally invasive procedures that help patients recover faster.[5]
Wallace Akerley, M.D.
Dr. Akerley is a medical oncologist who specializes in thoracic oncology. His expertise includes treating patients with lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma. Dr. Akerly chairs Huntsman’s Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee and directs the Lung Cancer Disease Center of Excellence.[6]
Chakravarthy B. Reddy, M.D.
Dr. Reddy is an interventional pulmonologist at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He is an investigator at Huntsman. Dr. Reddy treats patients with lung cancer, pleural effusions, and pleural mesothelioma, as well as other lung and airway conditions.[7]
Erin P. Ward, M.D.
Dr. Ward is a surgical oncologist. Her areas of special interest include peritoneal mesothelioma and other peritoneal-based malignancies. She also specializes in minimally invasive procedures and HIPEC after cytoreductive surgery.[8]
Brian Mitzman, M.D.
Dr. Mitzman is a general surgeon at Huntsman. He specializes in thoracic surgical oncology and robotic surgical procedures. He has experience using these procedures to remove complex thoracic tumors, including those caused by pleural mesothelioma.[9]
Clinical Trials for Mesothelioma Patients in Utah
Huntsman and other facilities in the state host and lead clinical trials, which are studies of the safety and effectiveness of novel treatments.
Mesothelioma patients make good candidates for clinical trials that come with potential benefits but also risks. They often have limited treatment options based on standard choices. A clinical trial represents a unique opportunity. Talk to your medical team about clinical trials going on in Utah:
Selective TrkA Inhibitor VMD-928 to Treat TrkA Overexpression Driven Solid Tumors or Lymphoma
This is a phase I trial of a new orally administered drug targeting solid tumors.[10]
- Qualifying patients must have a cancer that has progressed or is not responding to current treatments.
- As a phase I study, the trial is set to determine dosage and safety.
- Qualifying mesothelioma patients can access this trial at Utah Cancer Specialists in Salt Lake City.
Safety and Tolerability of TNG462 in Patients With MTAP-deleted Solid Tumors
This is a first-in-human study of a new treatment for patients with a specific genetic marker.[11]
- The first part of the study includes dose escalation, while the second part is for dose expansion.
- Mesothelioma patients may qualify for the trial.
- The trial is being hosted by the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City.
PRO1184 for Advanced Solid Tumors (PRO1184-001)
This is a phase I and II trial recruiting patients with certain solid tumors that have metastasized or are not resectable.[12]
- The trial is a test of a new targeted antibody-drug conjugate.
- Patients with mesothelioma or lung cancer may qualify.
- Patients can participate at START Mountain Region in West Valley City.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in Utah, you have a world-class treatment center right in the state. In addition to Huntsman, Intermountain’s multiple locations make getting good care easy and convenient.
