Temple-Fox Chase Cancer Center Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program
Temple-Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is one of the most comprehensive programs in the country dedicated to the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma and other chest cancers. The only center of its type in the region, it boasts internationally recognized experts involved in innovative treatment and tireless research.[1]
As the only comprehensive mesothelioma program of its type in the region, Temple-Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program was established to provide innovative treatment and pursue groundbreaking research activities. The center offers clinical treatments including systemic therapy and surgery, research, and clinical trials, all with the goal of making surgical and nonsurgical trials available for patients with every subtype and presentation of pleural mesothelioma.
Facts about Temple Fox-Chase Cancer Center
Fox Chase Cancer Center is part of the Temple University Health System. Renowned for its commitment to clinical and research excellence in the treatment of cancer, the facility is one of just 51 in the nation to have earned National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation as a comprehensive cancer center, and was among the first to be so designated. The facility treats every kind of cancer, and recently established a comprehensive mesothelioma and pleural disease program.
Fox Chase Cancer Center’s researchers have won Nobel Prizes, American Cancer Society Medals of Honor, and other prizes and have been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The facility’s physicians are routinely recognized as among the best in the country. After more than a century of providing compassionate care and conducting innovative research, the facility has established a well-deserved reputation for helping patients as they navigate cancer’s challenges.
Fox Chase is routinely designated as a U.S. News & World Report’s best hospital for cancer treatment and was recognized by Consumer Reports for best surgical outcomes.
History
Founded in 1904 as one of the country’s first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase Cancer Center has a long history of providing community-centered, comprehensive specialized programs in cancer prevention, detection, and survivorship as well as conducting basic, translational, and clinical research. The facility was awarded comprehensive cancer center designation from the National Cancer Institute, making it one of the first in the country to be thus honored. In 1995 the hospital became a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and in 2012 it became part of the Temple University Health System.[2]
Mesothelioma Treatment at Temple-Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program
The Temple-Fox Chase Cancer Center Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program represents a significant step forward in improving the treatment of mesothelioma patients and pursuing innovative research into the disease. Systemic therapy, the standard-of-care treatment, is being supplemented by immunotherapy treatment with nivolumab plus ipilimumab checkpoint inhibitors, and surgery is significantly extending survival. Both radical pleurectomy and lung-sparing surgery are offered, with the latter being an area of expertise for the center. A less invasive modification of this operation is currently being explored and offered at Temple-Fox Chase and will be presented at the 2023 American Association of Thoracic Surgery meeting. The program is also preparing several investigator-initiated surgical trials that combine immunotherapy and intraoperative adjuvant therapies.[1]
Research
Temple-Fox Chase is conducting clinical trials into the use of photodynamic therapy and plans to join forces with a noted mesothelioma program in Lille, France to participate in the European IMPALA study in which photodynamic therapy will be used to amplify immunotherapy’s effect. The program’s ultimate goal is to make both surgical and nonsurgical trials available for patients diagnosed with every subtype and presentation of pleural mesothelioma.
The Temple-Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program has several ongoing projects that are a focus of significant attention. These include the development of new techniques and modeling systems for the study of mesothelioma, development of a system to seal pulmonary air leaks during lung-sparing surgery, and the development of new biomarkers to better detect and monitor pleural mesothelioma treatment response. Of particular interest is an exploration of a nontoxic agent that is hoped will prevent the development of malignant mesothelioma in people who have been exposed to asbestos.[1]
Notable Staff and Mesothelioma Specialists
Temple-Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program is Co-Directed by Joseph Testa, Ph.D., FACMG, and Dr. Joseph Friedberg.
Dr. Testa is an internationally acclaimed mesothelioma researcher who co-discovered the BAP1 tumor predisposition syndrome. He was the first investigator to demonstrate that heritable mutations can influence the risk of asbestos-induced mesothelioma. work is conducted at Fox Chase Cancer Center. He is a Professor/Senior Member and the Carol & Kenneth E. Weg Chair in Human Genetics, the Chief of Genomic Medicine, and the Director of the Clinical Cytogenomics Laboratory.[3]
Dr. Joseph Friedberg, MD, FACS is the Thoracic Surgeon-in-Chief of Temple University Health System, Vice Chair of Surgical Services of the Department of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center and of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, and Co-Director of the Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program. His clinical focus is on the treatment of mesothelioma and other disorders of the pleura.[4]
The Temple-Fox Chase Cancer Center Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program is a world-class center for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other pleural diseases offering cutting-edge research and improved outcomes for those suffering from these challenging diseases.
