About the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center
The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa unveiled its Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center in 2012, providing an official umbrella to the outstanding multidisciplinary work Moffitt has been doing with this disease for many years.
Moffitt is the 3rd largest cancer center in the United States and the only NCI-designated cancer center in Florida. Regarded as one of the top cancer care facilities in the country, Moffitt began this specialized program within its department of thoracic oncology, trumpeting a group of physicians with expertise in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
The belief is that patients throughout Florida don’t have to travel to Boston or New York anymore to get the best possible care for mesothelioma. It’s already close to home.
Dr. Jacques Fontaine Director of the Mesothelioma Research & Treatment Center at Moffitt“Some of these well-known facilities are very good and have decades of outstanding experience in treatment of mesothelioma. But there are now other centers around the country doing innovative things, too. We’re one of them.”
Thoracic surgeon and professor at University of South Florida Dr. Jacques Fontaine joins medical oncologist Dr. Michael Shafique, radiation oncologist Dr. Brad Perez, and Dr. Bela Kis in interventional radiology, to form a core group of mesothelioma experts at Moffitt Cancer Center.
Together, they provide the multidisciplinary approach that is imperative in successful treatment of the disease, which is diagnosed in an estimated 3,000 patients annually in the United States. The group meets regularly to discuss each individual case, making sure every patient receives a well-coordinated treatment plan.
“We function as a team. And that’s absolutely key in providing the best possible care,” Fontaine said. “Under one roof, everyone is pulling in the same direction with the same goal.” The team also includes pathologists, pulmonologists, nurses, nutritionists and social workers.
Among the wide range of cutting-edge mesothelioma treatment options available to patients at Moffitt, the following are commonly used at the center:
- Surgeries such as extrapleural pneumonectomy and the lung-sparing pleurectomy/decortication
- Radiation therapy with intensity modulated radiation therapy, brachytherapy and tomotherapy
- Traditional chemotherapy and heated intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy
Clinical Research
Moffitt’s Mesothelioma Treatment and Research Center also puts a strong emphasis on developing novel treatment options through clinical research.
In October 2012, Moffitt joined the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in a phase Ib study involving a CRS 207 vaccine and immunotherapy for mesothelioma patients. Moffitt also is in the midst of a phase III study of NGR-TNF, a treatment engineered to kill mesothelioma tumor cells.
Moffitt has been a leader in cancer research for many years. The center is designated by the NCI as one of the country’s select Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a testament to the research and clinical programs, along with its high standards for excellence in cancer prevention, education, patient care and basic science.
For 15 consecutive years, U.S. News and World Report listed Moffitt as one of the nation’s best hospitals for cancer treatment. Moffitt’s peer-reviewed grant funding exceeds $75 million, which includes a prestigious Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant in lung cancer. Since first opening its doors in 1986, Moffitt has partnered with the University of South Florida in Tampa to provide teaching opportunities.
Leaders in Treatment
The ultimate goal at Moffitt is the prevention and cure of all cancer types, providing leadership in the field.
Perez is considered a pioneer in the application of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) for mesothelioma. It allows safe delivery of high doses of radiation to cancerous tumors while reducing any harmful effects of surrounding healthy tissue – even if the lung is not surgically removed.
In 2019, Perez opened a multi-institutional clinical trial at Moffitt to study the efficacy of IMRT in mesothelioma patients who did not undergo surgical removal of their lung, and preliminary results are very encouraging.
“To make advances in the treatment of mesothelioma, you have to be willing to innovate,” Fontaine said. “And our patients benefit from this approach. Collaboration is so key to what we do. Mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer, but we can treat it aggressively now.”
Learn More About Mesothelioma Treatment in Florida
Doctors at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center
Disclaimer: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center has no professional affiliation with Asbestos.com.
Tim Povtak
Senior Content Writer
Tim Povtak is an award-winning writer with more than 30 years of reporting national and international news. His specialty is interviewing top mesothelioma specialists and researchers, reporting the latest news at mesothelioma cancer centers and talking with survivors and caregivers.
3 Cited Article Sources
The sources on all content featured in The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com include medical and scientific studies, peer-reviewed studies and other research documents from reputable organizations.
- Moffitt Cancer Center. (n.d.). Mesothelioma Treatment. Retrieved from: https://moffitt.org/cancers/mesothelioma/treatment/
- National Cancer Institute. (2016, June 22). Moffitt Cancer Center. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/extramural/cancercenters/find-a-cancer-center/moffitt
- U.S. News & World Report. (n.d.). Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. Retrieved from: http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/moffitt-cancer-center-6391069
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Last Modified March 18, 2020
