Mesothelioma Foundations

Mesothelioma Doctors

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Moffit Cancer Center

Contact Information

12902 Magnolia Drive Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 745-4673

Affiliated Doctors

Located in Tampa, Florida, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, is part of that city's campus of the University of South Florida. Built in 1986, the facilities were helped in their design by physicians working at National Cancer Institute designated cancer centers, so that the facilities and equipment were as modern as they could possibly be. This institution has earned prestige for its level of care and research successes, becoming rated in the top 20 of the best cancer centers by U.S. News and World Report magazine, as well as earning a designation by the National Cancer Institute as being a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Treatment at the Moffitt Cancer Center involves an integrated approach utilizing specialists from several different disciplines, but the primary physician a patient interacts with will be a specialist in the type of cancer the patient has. For a patient with mesothelioma – a cancer affecting the lining of the lung linked to asbestos exposure on the job – they would primarily interact with a lung cancer specialist, although other surgeons and oncologists would help to make decisions at each stage of the treatment process. Unlike some cancer centers, this facility takes a somewhat holistic approach to treatment, providing psychosocial and palliative care to patients at the facility. This allows on-site access to psychological and social health services for both the patient and their family, as well as assistance with access to physical therapy and support groups.

The latest diagnostic and treatment methods are used at the Moffitt Cancer Center. To diagnose cancers and locate tumors, methods such as CT scans, PET scans, x-rays, sputum cytology, and fluid aspiration may be used. Treatment methods include traditional methods such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, but other, newer techniques are also utilized. For example, the use of lasers to target tumors without damaging nearby tissues may be employed, which could be useful for patients with mesothelioma, since in these cases, surgery is generally not an option since it would damage nearby healthy lung tissue. Additionally, photodynamic therapy is sometimes used, which involves administration of drugs which are not activated until they are exposed to certain types of light, and subsequent exposure to a laser which activates the drugs in a specific part of the body, thus avoiding some of the side effects of traditional chemotherapy. Immunotherapy may be used as well in some cases, generally during clinical trials, in order to stimulate the immune system to fight cancers.

The Moffitt Cancer Center receives more than $50 million annually to conduct research and clinical trials, which are usually organized by cancer type. However, other clinical trials exist, such as in the realm of palliative care and radiation oncology, which is a type of therapy used to treat many cancers. Of particular interest to mesothelioma patients may be the senior adult oncology program, addressing treatment issues unique to older adults, since mesothelioma generally only begins to show symptoms up to 50 years after exposure to asbestos.