In Oregon, mesothelioma treatment and doctors are available in several locations. Cancer centers in the state offer some of the best care in the region, even for difficult cancers like mesothelioma. If you have received a mesothelioma diagnosis, reach out to find an expert medical team for treatment.
Oregon Cancer Centers
Wherever you live in Oregon, an excellent cancer treatment facility is not far away. These three centers include one recognized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for patient care and contributions to cancer research.
Knight Cancer Institute
Knight Cancer Institute is the most comprehensive and best cancer center in the state. The NCI has designated it a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only such facility in Oregon.
Located in Portland, Knight is a part of the Oregon Health and Science University. If you have received a diagnosis of mesothelioma, consider the Knight Cancer Institute for your treatment for several reasons:[1]
- Clinical research performed at Knight has resulted in real innovations for patients, including new immunotherapy drugs.
- Mesothelioma and other patients can participate in clinical trials here, benefitting from new treatments.
- Treatments for mesothelioma patients include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
- The Lung Cancer Program includes treatment for pleural mesothelioma with a team-based approach that involves experts in all areas of cancer care.
- Patients who need surgery benefit from the Institute’s surgeons trained in using minimally invasive procedures and robotic-assisted technology.
- Peritoneal mesothelioma patients can receive surgery with HIPEC here, an effective treatment not available everywhere.
- Patients can access support and additional services, such as genetic counseling and risk assessment, a life after cancer program, fertility preservation, animal therapy, interpreters, support groups, social services, and rehabilitation.
Providence Cancer Institute
Providence offers cancer treatment in several Oregon locations: Portland, Clackamas, Medford, and Newberg. With a mesothelioma diagnosis, you can work with doctors anywhere in the Providence system. Providence uses multidisciplinary conferences and experts in all areas of cancer to develop personalized treatments for each patient.[2]
The Thoracic Oncology Program treats patients with all types of chest cancers, including pleural mesothelioma. Through this program, patients benefit from the expert team and treatments that include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and innovative treatments from clinical trials.[2]
Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center
Mesothelioma patients in Eugene can get excellent care at WVCI. This facility treats a wide range of cancer types, including mesothelioma. Patients receive individualized treatment plans that may include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.[3]
In addition to standard cancer treatments, WVCI offers a comprehensive list of services: support groups, integrative medicine, a pharmacy, second opinion services, patient navigators, nutrition counseling, complementary therapies, and patient advocacy.[3]
Physicians Treating Mesothelioma in Oregon
Even with great cancer centers, finding doctors who specialize in mesothelioma can be challenging. Not many physicians have trained for this rare cancer, but many experienced oncologists and surgeons still treat mesothelioma patients in Oregon.
Paul H. Schipper, M.D.
Dr. Schipper is a professor of surgery at Oregon Health and Science University. He also sees patients through the Cancer Institute and specializes in surgeries to treat thoracic cancers, including pleural mesothelioma. Dr. Schipper is involved in clinical trials and cancer research.[4]
Erin W. Gilbert, M.D.
An associate professor and gastrointestinal surgeon, Dr. Gilbert treats patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. She is one of the few physicians who can provide cytoreductive surgery, followed by HIPEC. She is also involved in research to develop better cancer screenings and surgical procedures.[5]
Additional Mesothelioma Specialists in Oregon
- Jeremy Paul Cetnar, M.D., medical oncologist, Knight Cancer Institute, Portland
- Rachel E. Sanborn, M.D., medical and thoracic oncologist, Providence Cancer Institute, Portland
- Divya Sood, M.D., surgical oncologist, Knight Cancer Institute, Portland
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials in Oregon
For a mesothelioma patient, a clinical trial may be the last hope and an opportunity to try new, innovative treatments. Three clinical trials in Oregon are currently recruiting mesothelioma patients:
- MEDI5752 in Combination With Carboplatin Plus Pemetrexed in Unresectable Pleural Mesothelioma (eVOLVE-Meso). Pleural mesothelioma patients who are not candidates for surgery may qualify for this study. This is a phase III study of a new medication used in combination with standard chemotherapy.[6]
- SW-682 in Advanced Solid Tumors. This study is recruiting patients with any type of solid tumor that is either metastatic or unresectable. It is a phase I, first-in-human dose escalation study of a new drug.[7]
- Phase 1 Study of INBRX-109 in Subjects With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors Including Sarcomas. This is a phase I trial studying a new immunotherapy drug. Researchers are recruiting patients with various types of cancer, including pleural mesothelioma. Qualified patients have advanced cancer, are not candidates for surgery, or have not responded to treatment.[8]
Living with a mesothelioma diagnosis is difficult, but working with the right medical team helps. In Oregon, any of these treatment centers and specialists can give you options for treatment and a better outcome.
