Exposure to asbestos in Colorado has left thousands of residents battling mesothelioma and in need of expert treatment. The state is home to one comprehensive cancer center and several specialists who can provide diagnosis, treatment, and additional support.
Mesothelioma Cancer Centers in Colorado
The National Cancer Institute recognizes cancer centers that exhibit excellence in treatment, patient care, and cancer research. Colorado is home to one of these comprehensive cancer centers, the University of Colorado Cancer Center at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. The cancer center has several departments and services to assist mesothelioma patients:[1][2][3]
- The Cancer Center is a hub of cancer research that includes a consortium of six facilities. One of these is the Denver Veterans Administration Medical Center, which provides free care for veterans with service-related mesothelioma.
- The Cancer Center leads the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium, a program that matches lung cancer patients to the therapies that best match their cancer cells and genetics.
- The Peritoneal Cancer/HIPEC Multidisciplinary Clinic offers peritoneal patients expert care from teams of specialists and the most effective treatment for this rare cancer.
- The Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic focuses on lung cancer but is staffed by thoracic surgeons and other specialists able to treat pleural mesothelioma.
- The Cancer Center hosts several clinical trials accessible to mesothelioma patients.
- The Center has a unique focus on cancer survivors, helping them cope post-treatment.
Mesothelioma Specialists in Colorado
The University of Colorado Cancer Center has several specialists on staff who can treat pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. Researchers are also on staff, making important advancements in the treatment of all cancer types, including mesothelioma.
D. Ross Camidge, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Camidge is a medical oncologist who practices in the Cancer Center’s Lung Cancer Clinic. He is the Director of the Thoracic Oncology Clinical and Clinical Research Program. His research and treatments focus on finding the best treatment for each patient, including those with pleural mesothelioma.[4]
John D. Mitchell, M.D.
Dr. Mitchell is a cardiothoracic surgeon and the Chief of General Thoracic Surgery at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Thoracic surgery is an important component of treatment for most patients with pleural mesothelioma.[5]
Steven Ahrendt, M.D.
Dr. Ahrendt is a surgical oncologist and the Director of the Cancer Center’s Cytoreductive Surgery/HIPEC Program. This innovative treatment is often the most effective approach to managing and even curing peritoneal mesothelioma.[6]
Robert Meguid, M.D.
Dr. Robert Meguid is a thoracic surgeon at the Cancer Center. He specializes in benign and malignant lung diseases, including pleural mesothelioma. He offers several advanced types of surgery, including minimally invasive procedures.[7]
Robert Sepesi, M.D.
Dr. Robert Sepesi is the Director of General Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at HCA Healthcare in Colorado. He treats patients with lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma and offers minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures.[8]
Finding Clinical Trials in Colorado
The University of Colorado Cancer Center is a major research hub for studying all types of cancers. Ongoing clinical trials offer mesothelioma patients the chance to receive innovative treatments that are not yet available to the general public.
These are three examples of trials recruiting mesothelioma patients in Colorado:
- MEDI5752 in Combination With Carboplatin Plus Pemetrexed in Unresectable Pleural Mesothelioma (eVOLVE-Meso). This is a phase III trial of a new medication used in combination with standard chemotherapy and immunotherapy.[9]
- Phase 1 Study of INBRX-109 in Subjects With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors Including Sarcomas. Researchers are testing this novel immunotherapy for the first time in patients with pleural mesothelioma and other cancers.[10]
- Integrated Cancer Repository for Cancer Research. This trial is not treating patients but needs participants with mesothelioma to contribute to a resource that will improve cancer screening, early diagnosis, and individualized treatments.[11]
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer, and the best treatment comes from specialists. Patients in Colorado can receive world-class care right in their own state at the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora.
