Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

Mesothelioma treatment centers offer the latest advances in treatment approaches, access to clinical trials, and collaboration with some of the most innovative mesothelioma physicians in the industry. These treatment centers are located throughout the United States.

While the average life expectancy after a mesothelioma diagnosis is 15 to 22 months, treatment centers that specialize in mesothelioma have some success increasing lifespan. For example, cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been found to increase the lifespan of peritoneal mesothelioma patients from 4 months to between 34 and 92 months.

Considerations When Selecting a Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment Center

When seeking treatment for mesothelioma, it is important to select a treatment center that specializes in mesothelioma. General cancer centers typically lack access to the most up-to-date treatments available for mesothelioma unless they specifically have a mesothelioma program.

Treatment Approach

While some approaches to mesothelioma treatment are common, some treatment centers offer novel approaches that differ from other facilities. It is important to understand the different treatment approaches and which modalities you feel most comfortable receiving.

Most mesothelioma treatment centers offer a multidisciplinary approach, which treats the whole patient rather than only treating the disease. This approach often includes:

Palliative care (comfort measures)
Nutritional counseling
Psychological counseling
Social work
Support for the family
Chaplain services

Access to Clinical Trials

There is no known cure for mesothelioma, but clinical trials provide hope that one day, a cure will be discovered. Most mesothelioma treatment centers offer patients an opportunity to participate in these trials. In some cases, the treatment center may be the lead investigator of one or more clinical trials. These trials can be useful when other treatment options have been exhausted.

Distance

It is not uncommon for mesothelioma patients to travel long distances to access treatment. Unlike other cancers with treatment centers available near almost every locality in the U.S., mesothelioma clinics are limited due to the rarity of this form of cancer.

If you do determine that long-distance travel is worthwhile to access your preferred treatment modality, it is also important to consider the following:

Will treatment require you to stay in the geographical area for a period, or will you have to make several trips that are spaced apart?
Are free or reduced-cost travel and lodging arrangements available?
Do you have the physical strength and resources necessary to make long trips on a recurrent basis?
Does an alternative local treatment center offer similar approaches?

New Patients

You will also need to know whether the treatment center is accepting new patients or if there is a waiting list. Due to the aggressive nature of mesothelioma, the existence of a waiting list may preclude treatment at that particular center.