Mesothelioma Treatment
Recommended Topics
Mesothelioma Trust Funds

Over 30 Billion dollars in trust fund money has been set aside for asbestos victims.

Mesothelioma Support Books

Get a Free copy of Surviving Mesothelioma, Lean on Me, or 100 Questions & Answers About Mesothelioma

Free Veterans Assistance

Mesolink.org now offeres Free Assistance with VA Claims and other benefits.

Dr. Paul H Sugarbaker

Contact Information

Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker is well-known and highly regarded for his expertise in the cancer known as peritoneal mesothelioma, for his leading edge knowledge of treatment, as well as his research skills. The success of Dr. Sugarbaker's work in treating malignant peritoneal mesothelioma with a multi-modal approach has been emulated in the successful treatment of other types of cancers by his peers. Currently, Dr. Sugarbaker holds the position of Director of Surgical Oncology at the Washington Cancer Institute, Washington, DC.

Dr. Sugarbaker first received a Bachelor of Science degree from Wheaton College in 1963. Upon graduating with honors from Cornell University Medical College, in 1967, the doctor went on to complete a residency in general surgery, and then to become surgical chief resident while at Peter Bent-Brigham Hospital, Boston. Dr. Sugarbaker completed his surgical fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, in 1976. He was certified by the American Board of Surgery in 1973.

Dr. Sugarbaker earned a Masters of Immunology from Harvard University in 1983, after which he began earning his global reputation as a cancer specialist and expert researcher. Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker is an avid author, having written about 700 reports, articles and books on the treatment of cancers, including mesothelioma. Dr. Sugarbaker wrote a textbook on sarcoma surgery that was eventually translated into five languages. He has authored and co-authored many scientific research papers that have been published in surgical journals such as the Oncologist.

A leader in cancer treatment, Dr. Sugarbaker was the founding member of a global organization, the International Society of Regional Cancer Therapy. Additionally, he serves the European Journal of Surgical Oncology on their editorial board. Before settling in as Medical Director at Washington Cancer Institute, he was Director of Surgical Oncology at Atlanta's Emory University School of Medicine.

During the years between 1976 and 1986, Dr. Sugarbaker worked with the National Cancer Institute, first as Senior Investigator at their Surgery Branch, and later as Head of the Colorectal Cancer Section’s Surgery Branch in Bethesda, Maryland. He has also won many prestigious awards, including the E. T. Krementz Award in 1997, for his research. In 2001, the doctor was honored by the American Society of Abdominal Surgeons, with a Distinguished Service Award.

In conjunction with his research in gastrointestinal oncology, Dr. Sugarbaker created the Foundation for Applied Research in Gastrointestinal Oncology, FARGO, in 1993. This non-profit organization has the goal of promoting research, extending education and improving patient care by transferring research findings into innovative patient care methods.

He is best known for his work in diagnosis and treatment of the disease of the abdominal cavity lining, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. His approach includes using cytoreductive surgery, which directly applies a chemical agent onto the targeted tissue. This has since become known as intraperitoneal chemotherapy. In many cases, this treatment is followed up with systemic chemotherapy prior to surgery.