Written by Dr. Kristopher Bunting | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: June 4, 2024

Getting Treatment in Maryland

Maryland is home to some of the top hospitals in the country, including two National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. These include the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, both located in Baltimore.

Maryland has 11 military bases and many shipyards, which are all significant sources of occupational asbestos exposure. Maryland ranks 20th in the U.S. for asbestos-related deaths, with 928 recorded mesothelioma deaths. The age-adjusted incidence of mesothelioma in Maryland is 0.7 cases per 100,000 people.


With more than 15 years of experience working with survivors and families, The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com has become the nation’s most trusted source of information about mesothelioma. The Mesothelioma Center provides assistance in the form of patient advocates, VA claims, a Doctor Match program, support groups and webinars for people living with mesothelioma. Asbestos.com can help find the best possible mesothelioma treatment in Baltimore and throughout Maryland.

Top Mesothelioma Centers in Maryland

A mesothelioma diagnosis is life-changing. There are many cancer treatment centers in Maryland to choose from, so how do you choose the right one for you?

Factors you should consider when choosing a cancer treatment center:
  • Is it accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer?
  • Is it a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center?
  • In addition to surgical and oncology services, does it provide palliative care?

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is home to the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, a world leader in cancer care and research. The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center is nationally recognized as a leader in mesothelioma treatment. 

In addition, Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore specializes in peritoneal cancers, including mesothelioma, and has developed cutting-edge treatments for peritoneal mesothelioma. The James M. Stockman Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland, has partnered with the MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide top-notch cancer care that includes clinical trials. 

Finally, the National Cancer Institute — part of the National Institutes of Health — leads the country in conducting, funding and managing cancer research, including clinical trials for mesothelioma patients.

Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore

Mercy Medical Center

345 St Paul Pl, Baltimore, MD 21202

Year Built: 2006 (Institute for Cancer Care)
Number of Beds: 178 beds (Mercy Medical Center)
Number of Physicians: 2

Maryland Doctors Who Treat Mesothelioma

After choosing the right cancer treatment center, you must find the right doctor. Choosing your cancer doctor is an important part of your mesothelioma journey; you must find someone who is a good fit for you.

Consider the following when choosing a mesothelioma doctor in Maryland:
  • Are they knowledgeable and confident?
  • Do they have experience with your type of mesothelioma?
  • Do they make you feel comfortable and respected?

Cancer treatment is a long process, and your care continues even while you are in remission. You must be able to build a good working relationship with your doctor based on trust and respect. 

Personality can matter as much as medical knowledge and clinical skills. You and your doctor will need to work as a team throughout your cancer care, so be sure to find someone who is a good fit who you can work with on the long journey ahead.

Dr. Richard Battafarano, thoracic surgeon

Nottingham, Maryland

Richard Battafarano

Pleural Specialist | Thoracic Surgery

Expertise: Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Research

Languages: English

Dr. Vadim Gushchin, Surgical Oncologist

Baltimore, Maryland

Vadim Gushchin

Peritoneal Specialist | Surgical Oncology

Expertise: Robotic Surgery HIPEC

Languages: English, Russian

Dr. Raffit Hassan, mesothelioma expert

Bethesda, Maryland

Raffit Hassan

Pleural Specialist | Peritoneal Specialist | Medical Oncology

Expertise: Immunotherapy Clinical Trials

Languages: English

Dr. Petr Hausner, medical oncologist

Baltimore, Maryland

Petr Hausner

Pleural Specialist | Peritoneal Specialist | Medical Oncology

Expertise: Immunotherapy Hematology

Languages: English, Czech, French, German, Russian

Dr. Fabian Johnson, peritoneal mesothelioma doctor

Baltimore, Maryland

Fabian Johnston

Peritoneal Specialist | Surgical Oncology

Expertise: Cytoreductive Surgery HIPEC

Languages: English

Dr. Christine Lau, pleural mesothelioma surgeon

Baltimore, Maryland

Christine L. Lau

Pleural Specialist | Thoracic Surgery

Expertise: Peritoneal Mesothelioma Research

Languages: English

Dr. Robert Miller, pleural mesothelioma specialist

VA-Accredited Claims Agents Help Veterans with Mesothelioma

Robert C. Miller

Pleural Specialist | Proton Therapy

Expertise: Clinical Research Radiation Therapy

Dr. Armando Sardi, Peritoneal Mesothelioma Specialist

Baltimore, Maryland

Armando Sardi

Peritoneal Specialist | Surgical Oncology

Expertise: Cytoreductive Surgery HIPEC

Languages: English

Clinical Trials and Cancer Research in Maryland

Cancer centers in Maryland are focused on more than just treatment; research is also a priority. Clinical trials recruit patients to test the latest cutting-edge treatments for mesothelioma. By enrolling in a clinical trial you can have access to the latest mesothelioma treatments. 

Johns Hopkins is a leader in cancer research, including clinical trials of groundbreaking mesothelioma treatments. The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center is currently working with the Cleveland Clinic and the University of Michigan to test the latest immunotherapies for treating mesothelioma.

Cancer research is vital to improving cancer care. Clinical trials offer the opportunity to receive the most up-to-date mesothelioma treatments that allow you to play a role in advancing cancer care for countless other patients. Are you interested in enrolling in a mesothelioma clinical trial? Let The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com help you find a clinical trial that’s right for you.

Clinical Trial
Study of NGM707 as Monotherapy and in Combination With Pembrolizumab in Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumor Malignancies

This study is testing a novel drug, NGM707, in combination with pembrolizumab for advanced mesothelioma.

  • Condition: Mesothelioma
  • Intervention: Immunotherapy
  • Locations: Baltimore, Maryland
  • Recruiting: June 2021 – Present
Clinical Trial
Phase 1/2 Trial of Gavo-cel (TC-210) in Patients With Advanced Mesothelin-Expressing Cancer

This study uses novel cell therapy and genetically engineered T cells that target mesothelin.

  • Condition: Pleural and Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer
  • Intervention: Gavo-cel
  • Locations: Bethesda, Maryland
  • Recruiting: April 2019 – Present
Clinical Trial
Testing the Addition of an Anti-cancer Drug, BAY 1895344, to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment (Cisplatin, or Cisplatin and Gemcitabine) for Advanced Solid Tumors With Emphasis on Urothelial Cancer

This study is testing the safety and effects of BAY 1895344 in combination with chemotherapy for advanced mesothelioma.

  • Condition: Pleural Mesothelioma
  • Intervention: Chemotherapy
  • Locations: Bethesda, Maryland
  • Recruiting: July 2020 – Present
Clinical Trial
Neoadjuvant Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Resectable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

This study tests the safety and feasibility of neoadjuvant nivolumab with and without ipilimumab for mesothelioma patients.

  • Condition: Mesothelioma
  • Intervention: Immunotherapy
  • Locations: Baltimore, Maryland
  • Recruiting: April 2019 – Present

Albert Schwartz
Pleural Mesothelioma Survivor

Last year marked Albert Schwartz’s fifth year as a mesothelioma survivor. In addition to the expert care he received at the Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center — including surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy — he credits his family for giving him the strength to survive. He found the inspiration to fight his diagnosis in his young stepdaughter. He decided to fight his cancer so he could see her grow up. He was also able to receive chemotherapy alongside his brother, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Albert’s battle continues, but he has found strength in his family.

Yvette King
Pleural Mesothelioma Survivor

Yvette King was diagnosed with stage III pleural mesothelioma in 2015. After undergoing chemotherapy and surgery, she had proton radiation therapy at the Maryland Proton Treatment Center. She is a mesothelioma survivor, but that doesn’t mean her journey has been easy. She has found the strength to carry on through her faith and feels a calling to advocate for others with mesothelioma. She has not only survived but has become a living example of hope for others experiencing their own mesothelioma journeys.

Cindy Christopher
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Survivor

Cindy Christopher is a survivor of peritoneal mesothelioma who loves riding roller coasters. At the beginning of her treatment, she vowed she would ride roller coasters again, and she has fulfilled that promise. In 2006 she underwent cytoreductive surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, known as HIPEC, at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Since then, she has returned to work and ridden every roller coaster she can. She has had setbacks, including thyroid cancer, skin cancer and a knee replacement. These struggles have strengthened her resolve to not only survive but to live her life to the fullest.

Cancer Support Services in Maryland

Cancer support services help meet the needs of cancer patients, caregivers and families dealing with mesothelioma. This can include financial support as well as emotional and spiritual support. National and local resources are available to help Maryland residents with mesothelioma.

American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society’s cancer resource centers provide free wigs, hats, treatment information and other support for cancer patients. The services available also include help finding emotional support networks, financial assistance and lodging during treatment.

Mesothelioma Survivor, Caregiver & Family Support

The Mesothelioma Survivor, Caregiver & Family Support group on Facebook helps connect mesothelioma patients and caregivers in Maryland and around the country with other people dealing with mesothelioma. Newly diagnosed patients, survivors and others can share their experiences and offer peer support.

Maryland Department of Health Cancer Plan

The Maryland Department of Health Cancer Plan website has resources to help cancer patients and their families. Its site provides Information and links to public agencies and private organizations that offer palliative care, hospice care and other services in Maryland to support people with cancer and their families.

Baltimore City Cancer and Health Equity Coalition

The BCCHEC provides information about a wide variety of services available to people in Baltimore living with cancer. It can help patients and their families find assistance with transportation, nutrition, treatment, screening and with paying utilities.

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland serves eight counties, providing nutritional assistance for cancer patients and others who need help maintaining their quality of life and independence at home. In addition to delivering hot and frozen meals, it can also provide emergency meal kits for weather emergencies. It also works with the Maryland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to deliver pet food.

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