Mesothelioma patients in Florida can access treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. Cancer centers in the state of Florida are pioneering innovative research, active clinical trials and are home to top mesothelioma specialists Dr. Jacques Fontaine and Dr. Marcelo DaSilva.
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Mesothelioma patients in Florida often visit H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Here, they can participate in innovative clinical trials. They also receive multidisciplinary care from a team of mesothelioma doctors.
Patients also visit Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami. Sylvester provides access to innovative surgical techniques. One example is cytoreductive surgery with heated chemotherapy. This procedure is the leading treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma.
In 2022, pivotal research came from Sylvester. The findings led the World Health Organization’s cancer division to reclassify firefighting as a Group 1 carcinogenic profession.
Pleural mesothelioma patients also turn to AdventHealth Celebration. This hospital is located just south of Orlando. Here, mesothelioma patients have access to robotic surgery.
Florida residents may need financial assistance to help pay for medical care. For many, mesothelioma treatment is expensive. Patients should speak with a Florida mesothelioma lawyer. It’s the best way to learn more about legal options for compensation. Florida asbestos manufacturers may be liable for your asbestos exposure. A lawyer can hold them responsible for medical costs related to your diagnosis.
Year Built: 1992 Number of Beds: 40 Number of Physicians: 5
Mesothelioma Specialists in Florida
Florida residents with mesothelioma have several experts in the state to choose from. These experts specialize in treating pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma.
Dr. Jacques Fontaine is a pleural mesothelioma specialist and surgeon. He leads the mesothelioma program at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. The Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami is home to Villamizar. Both thoracic surgeons trained under Sugarbaker. He was the pioneer behind tumor-removing surgery for pleural mesothelioma.
Sylvester also features Dr. Mecker Moller. This peritoneal mesothelioma specialist was the first to perform the cytoreduction and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) combination in South Florida.
Top Florida Mesothelioma Doctors
Jacques Fontaine
Pleural Specialist | Thoracic Surgery
Expertise:
Pleural Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Thoracic Diseases, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Pleurectomy and Decortication Surgery
Dr. Jacques Fontaine is the Director of the Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. He specializes in minimally invasive thoracic surgery including robotic surgery. Fontaine became a pleural mesothelioma specialist while studying under Dr. Sugarbaker at the International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Marcelo DaSilva is medical director of thoracic surgery at the AdventHealth Cancer Institute, where he has built the Mesothelioma International Treatment Program.
Thoracic surgeon Dr. Nestor Villamizar has raised the level of treatment for pleural mesothelioma patients at the Sylvester Cancer Center and the University of Miami Health System. He came to Miami from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where he worked alongside mesothelioma treatment pioneer Dr. David Sugarbaker.
Mesothelioma Experts and Innovative Research in Florida
Florida ranks No. 2 in the nation for mesothelioma and asbestosis deaths. The primary reason is the state’s large retirement population. Thankfully, Florida is home to some of the best mesothelioma surgeons. These doctors work at some of the nation’s best hospitals and cancer centers.
Several surgeons in Florida have trained under Dr. David Sugarbaker. He was a mesothelioma specialist who pioneered treatment for the disease. One of these surgeons is Dr. Jacques Fontaine in Tampa. Another is Dr. Nestor Villamizar at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami.
The state’s mesothelioma experts have advanced new therapies for the disease. Doctors and cancer centers in Florida helped develop Tumor Treating Fields. This new therapy was approved in 2019 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat pleural mesothelioma.
Fontaine was part of a mesothelioma advisory group that helped develop TTFields. He was involved before the therapy became available to the public.
The Miami Cancer Institute was an early adopter of TTFields. It was one of the first mesothelioma cancer centers in the country to offer the therapy.
The Moffitt Cancer Center research team is harvesting special immune cells, called TIL or tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, from patients’ tumors. TIL cells are grown and amplified in the lab and reinjected into the patient to attack tumors. Preliminary results have been very encouraging.
Dr. Jacques Fontaine, Thoracic Surgeon for Mesothelioma
Moffitt Cancer Center is running a phase II clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of multimodal therapy. It studies pleurectomy and decortication surgery, chemotherapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy.
The University of Miami Hospital is participating in a phase II clinical trial of Imfinzi (durvalumab). The study combines it with standard chemotherapy for mesothelioma. Researchers are testing to see if it improves overall survival in patients.
Multiple cancer centers throughout Florida are participating in a phase II clinical trial of immunotherapy drugs. Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) continue to show benefits in the treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma.
The American Cancer Society’s cancer resource centers provide free wigs, hats, treatment information, support and more for patients diagnosed with cancer. The services available also include help finding emotional support networks and financial assistance.
A service of Orlando Health, the Cancer Support Community at UF Health Cancer Center is open to any patient with cancer, as well as survivors and caregivers. The community uses integrative medical techniques that can manage symptoms, relieve stress and improve mental health. All members have access to nutritionists, counselors, pain specialists and palliative treatment consultations.
Available in Fort Lauderdale and other off-site locations in nearby communities, Gilda’s Club provides innovative programs for anyone affected by cancer. Services include support groups, healthy living workshops, social gatherings and financial support. Professionals lead an array of seminars, and the organization prides itself on building a strong community in South Florida.
Mesothelioma Survivors from Florida
Gene Hartline
Pleural Mesothelioma Survivor
When Gene Hartline was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in July 2016, doctors told him there was little they could do for his advanced condition. His family couldn’t accept that prognosis, so they sought a second opinion not too far from their home in Lady Lake, Florida. Hartline did chemotherapy and decided to join an immunotherapy clinical trial testing Opdivo at the recommendation of his new doctor. Opdivo kept his cancer under control for nine months. “I would tell anyone who gets diagnosed with this disease, don’t just take the first advice you get and give up,” Hartline said. “Look around and see what is out there.”
Jack Riordan
Pleural Mesothelioma Survivor
Floridian Jack Riordan was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in June 2014 and knew right away that he wanted to participate in a clinical trial. He has a strong belief clinical trials help others facing the diagnosis. After finishing chemotherapy, he joined an immunotherapy clinical trial in southwest Florida. “Without thinking twice, I’d recommend a clinical trial to most everyone. By taking part, maybe it will give doctors some information to help others in the future,” Riordan said.
Judy Goodson
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Survivor
Judy Goodson was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 2013 following treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A CT scan revealed spots on her bladder, and doctors assumed it was a lymphoma metastasis. After the spots didn’t respond to chemotherapy and radiation, doctors performed a biopsy and found peritoneal mesothelioma. Goodson underwent cytoreductive surgery and two rounds of HIPEC with Dr. Sophie Dessureault at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. “I believe with my heart that those that survive are warriors,” Goodson said. “I often joke with my friends that mesothelioma whispered in my ear, ‘You can’t handle me.’ And I told mesothelioma, no, you can’t handle me.”
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Selby, K. (2025, February 24). Mesothelioma Treatment in Florida. Asbestos.com. Retrieved March 31, 2026, from https://www.asbestos.com/treatment/states/florida/
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Registered Nurse and Board Certified Patient Advocate
Karen Selby is a registered nurse and Board Certified Patient Advocate at The Mesothelioma Center with more than 30 years of experience in oncology and thoracic surgery. She worked as an operating room nurse in thoracic surgery at the University of Maryland for 6 years, assisting with surgeries such as lung transplants, pneumonectomies and pleurectomies. She later served as regional director of the tissue procurement program at the University of Florida. Karen joined The Mesothelioma Center in 2009, providing patients with personalized support and resources.
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Dr. Jacques Fontaine , Thoracic Surgeon for Mesothelioma
