Finding Texas mesothelioma treatment and doctors is not difficult with four world-class treatment facilities in the state. If you live here and have received a diagnosis of mesothelioma, choose one of these excellent cancer centers to benefit from the support of specialists.
Texas Cancer Treatment Centers
The National Cancer Institute has recognized four Texas cancer centers for excellence. All conduct necessary cancer research to advance diagnostics and treatment. They also provide some of the best cancer treatments in the country and the world, including specialist treatment for mesothelioma.
MD Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is one of the best treatment facilities globally and is home to several mesothelioma specialists.[1]
MD Anderson is an excellent option for treatment for both peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma patients, and it is right in Houston. The Thoracic Center treats pleural mesothelioma patients with minimally invasive surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, proton therapy, and other treatments.[1]
Peritoneal mesothelioma patients work with experts in gastrointestinal cancer at MD Anderson. They may receive cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC, the leading treatment for this type of cancer that most cancer treatment centers cannot offer.[1]
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
This cancer center is a part of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. It is home to the Mesothelioma Treatment Center, begun by the late Dr. David Sugarbaker, one of the world’s leading experts in this cancer. The Center uses a multidisciplinary approach to treat pleural mesothelioma, including standard and advanced treatments like immunotherapy and personalized genetic therapies.[2]
Although Baylor is most well-known for its Mesothelioma Treatment Center, which focuses on the pleural form of the disease, peritoneal patients also receive excellent care here. Several surgeons can perform cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC.[2]
Mays Cancer Center
The Mays Cancer Center in San Antonio is affiliated with the University of Texas and the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The Center was established to help reach the communities in and around San Antonio and South Texas. The Lung Cancer Program can help patients with pleural mesothelioma, but specialists may also refer them to MD Anderson in Houston.[3]
Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center
This Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center is located in Dallas and is part of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. It includes a dedicated pleural mesothelioma treatment group staffed by experts in thoracic cancers, surgery, medical oncology, and radiation therapy. This group even treats pericardial mesothelioma, an extremely rare form of cancer that affects the tissue around the heart. This makes it a challenge to treat.[4]
The Peritoneal Malignancies and HIPEC Program includes specialists in peritoneal mesothelioma. This advanced treatment is not available at all cancer centers, and it is often the best option for patients with this cancer.[4]
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Located in Houston, the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is part of the VA Houston Health Care System. It is one of the few VA medical facilties in the country with specialist mesothelioma care. It is affiliated with the Baylor College of Medicine and St. Luke’s Medical Center.
Physicians at the VA Medical Center collaborate with specialists at Baylor and St. Luke’s to treat veterans with mesothelioma.
Texas Mesothelioma Specialists
Texas cancer centers are home to many specialists who devote research and patient care to figuring out and managing mesothelioma:
- David Rice, M.B., B.Ch. Dr. Rice is a cardiothoracic surgeon at MD Anderson. His research focuses on developing better procedures for treating pleural mesothelioma. He uses video-assisted surgery with patients and minimally invasive procedures when possible.[5]
- Anne Tsao, M.D. Dr. Tsao is a medical oncologist at MD Anderson who treats patients with mesothelioma and conducts research. She leads treatment teams for pleural mesothelioma and has helped to advance the use of proton therapy.[6]
- Brian D. Badgwell, M.D. At MD Anderson, Dr. Badgwell offers patients cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC. He has performed the procedure more than 100 times.[7]
- Robert Taylor Ripley, M.D. Dr. Ripley is a surgeon at the Baylor College of Medicine and a specialist in robotic-assisted thoracic surgeries for patients with pleural mesothelioma. He also leads the Mesothelioma Treatment Center.[8]
- Kemp Kernstine, M.D. Dr. Kernstine is the Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UT Southwestern. He treats several thoracic cancers, including pleural mesothelioma.[9]
- Patricio Polanco, M.D. Dr. Polanco is a surgical oncologist at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. He specializes in gastrointestinal cancers, including peritoneal mesothelioma, and provides HIPEC treatments.[10]
Additional mesothelioma specialists caring for patients in Texas include:
- Muhamed Abu-Hijley, M.D., pulmonologist and critical care physician, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas
- Daniel de Armond, M.D., thoracic surgeon, UT Health San Antonio
- Sheena Bhalla, M.D., thoracic oncologist, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
- Shanda Blackmon, M.D., surgical oncologist, Baylor Medicine, Houston
- Hsienchang Chiu, M.D., interventional pulmonologist, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
- Eugene Choi, M.D., surgical oncologist, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Houston
- Lorraine D. Cornwell, M.D., thoracic and cardiothoracic surgeon, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston
- Jonathan Dowell, M.D., hematologist and oncologist, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
- Frank V. Fossella, M.D., thoracic medical oncologist, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
- David Gerber, M.D., medical oncologist, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
- Craig Glazer, M.D., pulmonologist and critical care physician, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
- Shawn Groth, M.D., thoracic surgeon, Baylor School of Medicine, Houston
- Pavan Mukesh Jhaveri, M.D., radiation oncologist, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Houston
- Corey Kershaw, M.D., pulmonologist and critical care physician, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
- Mio Kitano, M.D., surgical oncologist, UT Health San Antonio
- Ritsuko Komaki, M.D., radiation oncologist, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
- Paul F. Mansfield, M.D., surgical oncologist, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
- David P. Mason, M.D., thoracic surgeon, Methodist Health, Dallas
- David B. Nelson, M.D., cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
- Scott Reznik, M.D., thoracic surgeon, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas
- Noah S. Rozich, M.D., surgical oncologist, Texas Oncology Surgical Specialists, Webster
- Anita Lyn Sabichi, M.D., medical oncologist, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston
- Prashant C. Shah, M.D., thoracic and cardiothoracic surgeon, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple
- Stephen G. Swisher, M.D., University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
- Federico Tozzi, M.D., surgical oncologist, UT Health San Antonio
- John Waters, M.D., thoracic surgeon, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials in Texas
With so many world-class treatments and research institutions, finding clinical trials in Texas is not hard. Currently, 33 studies are recruiting mesothelioma patients in the state.
Talk to your doctors about the possibility of qualifying for a trial and whether or not it’s a good idea for you. With the potential benefits of these novel treatments also come risks. These are just some of the opportunities for mesothelioma patients in Texas:
- Brentuximab Vedotin in Treating Patients With CD30+ Malignant Mesothelioma That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery. This MD Anderson trial may be a good option for patients not eligible for surgery.[11]
- Neoadjuvant Durvalumab and Tremelimumab With and Without Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma. This study is a comparison between treatment with two immunotherapy drugs alone and with chemotherapy.[12]
- A Phase I Study of IAG933 in Patients With Advanced Mesothelioma and Other Solid Tumors. This is a phase I study of a new drug used to treat certain solid tumors, including in patients with advanced mesothelioma. The researchers are investigating the drug’s safety and tolerability.[13]
- MEDI5752 in Combination With Carboplatin Plus Pemetrexed in Unresectable Pleural Mesothelioma (eVOLVE-Meso). This is a phase III study of a medication called Volrustomig. The researchers are recruiting patients with pleural mesothelioma who are not candidates for surgery.[14]
- Brentuximab Vedotin in Treating Patients With CD30+ Malignant Mesothelioma That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery. This is a phase II trial of an immunotherapy drug called brentuximab vedotin. Researchers need mesothelioma patients with cancer cells that express a protein called CD30.[15]
Being diagnosed with mesothelioma is tough, but if you live in Texas, the best treatment in the country is right at your doorstep. These mesothelioma treatment centers and specialists can provide you with guidance, options, and hope for the future.
