Mesothelioma Specialists

Mesothelioma Specialist Directory
Top 20 U.S. Specialists (2026)
Specialists Listed	20 actively practicing
Thoracic Surgeons	10
Medical Oncologists	6
Immunotherapy Researchers	2
Pathogenesis Research	1
Gene Therapy Research	1
Active Clinical Trials	6 major trials
Verification Date	February 2026
Geographic Coverage	10 states + Washington, D.C.

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer caused by asbestos exposure, with approximately 2,500 to 3,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the United States. Because of its rarity, most oncologists and surgeons encounter only a handful of mesothelioma cases during their entire career. This makes finding a specialist with dedicated mesothelioma experience one of the most important decisions a patient can make after diagnosis.

The 20 specialists profiled on this page represent the most authoritative mesothelioma clinicians and researchers currently practicing in the United States as of February 2026. Each has been verified as actively practicing, accepting new patients, and maintaining a primary clinical or research focus on mesothelioma. General thoracic surgeons who perform only occasional mesothelioma cases are excluded, regardless of institutional reputation.

This directory spans thoracic surgeons who perform pleurectomy/decortication and other mesothelioma-specific procedures, medical oncologists who design chemotherapy and immunotherapy protocols, translational researchers developing next-generation treatments like CAR T-cell therapy, and scientists investigating the molecular basis of the disease.

At a Glance

• Specialist vs. generalist survival gap — mesothelioma patients treated at high-volume specialist centers survive 2 to 3 times longer than those treated at community hospitals with limited mesothelioma experience
• Surgical mortality 5-fold lower — dedicated mesothelioma surgeons report 0 to 2 percent 30-day mortality for pleurectomy/decortication compared to 10 percent or higher at low-volume centers
• 20 specialists across 10 states — fewer than 30 physicians in the entire country devote their career primarily to mesothelioma, and this directory profiles the top 20 currently practicing
• Clinical trial access doubles options — patients seen by listed specialists gain access to 6 active trials testing CAR T-cell therapy, neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and gene therapy unavailable at general oncology practices
• 72 percent response rate with CAR T — the highest objective response ever reported for a solid-tumor cellular therapy, achieved at Memorial Sloan Kettering under Dr. Adusumilli
• Multidisciplinary teams vs. solo practitioners — specialist centers coordinate surgeons, oncologists, radiation therapists, pathologists, and pulmonologists on every case, compared to single-physician management at community hospitals
• Second opinions accessible remotely — most listed specialists offer telemedicine consultations, eliminating the need to travel before confirming a treatment plan
• Insurance coverage widely accepted — NCI-designated cancer centers and university hospitals accept Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial plans, with patient navigators to assist authorization

Key Facts

Metric	Finding
Specialists Profiled	20 actively practicing physicians across 5 clinical and research categories, verified February 2026
Thoracic Surgeons	10 surgeons with dedicated mesothelioma practices spanning 8 states, each having performed hundreds of mesothelioma-specific resections
Medical Oncologists	6 oncologists directing mesothelioma programs at NCI-designated cancer centers and leading national treatment guidelines
Active Clinical Trials	6 major trials led by profiled specialists, covering immunotherapy, CAR T-cell therapy, neoadjuvant protocols, and gene therapy
NCI-Based Investigators	3 specialists (Hassan, Schrump, Hoang) conducting federally funded mesothelioma research at the National Institutes of Health
Combined Publications	Over 3,000 peer-reviewed articles across all 20 specialists, spanning genomics, surgical technique, immunotherapy, and pathogenesis
Geographic Coverage	10 states plus Washington, D.C., anchored at institutions including MSK, Brigham, MD Anderson, Moffitt, and the NCI
Inclusion Standard	Every specialist directs a named mesothelioma program, leads mesothelioma-specific clinical trials, or maintains a dominant mesothelioma publication portfolio
Verification Method	Institutional profiles, Doximity credentials, recent publications, and clinical trial registries cross-referenced as of February 2026
Immunotherapy Landscape	CheckMate 743 established nivolumab plus ipilimumab as standard first-line therapy for unresectable mesothelioma after showing 18.1-month median survival versus 14.1 months for chemotherapy
P/D vs. EPP Shift	Lung-sparing pleurectomy/decortication has largely replaced extrapleural pneumonectomy as the preferred surgical approach, pioneered by Drs. Cameron and Flores based on multi-institutional survival data
High-Volume Center Advantage	Mesothelioma patients treated at specialized centers have documented survival advantages over those treated at general oncology practices

How Were These Specialists Selected?

Specialists were selected based on five weighted criteria designed to identify clinicians and researchers whose careers are substantially dedicated to mesothelioma, rather than physicians who treat it incidentally among many cancer types.

Criterion	What It Measures
Mesothelioma-Dedicated Practice	Named directorship of a mesothelioma program or center; mesothelioma constitutes a primary clinical focus
High-Volume Surgery	50 or more career mesothelioma resections for surgeons; active mesothelioma caseload for oncologists
Active Clinical Trial Leadership	Current principal investigator or co-PI on mesothelioma-specific interventional trials
Publication Record	Peer-reviewed mesothelioma publications with emphasis on first or last authorship in high-impact journals
National and International Leadership	Named professorships, society leadership (IMIG, IASLC, ASCO), and major awards (Wagner Medal, Selikoff Award, Pioneer Award)

All institutional affiliations, practicing status, and clinical activity were confirmed via current institutional profiles, Doximity, and recent publications. Dr. David J. Sugarbaker (deceased 2018) and Dr. Paul Sugarbaker (retired) are excluded as non-practicing but referenced for historical context.

Who Are the Leading Mesothelioma Surgeons?

Thoracic surgery remains a cornerstone of mesothelioma treatment for patients with resectable disease. The following ten surgeons maintain dedicated mesothelioma surgical practices, each having performed hundreds of mesothelioma-specific procedures including pleurectomy/decortication (P/D), extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), and cytoreductive surgery with heated intraoperative chemotherapy (HITHOC/HIPEC).

Dr. Raphael Bueno, MD

Institution: Brigham and Women's Hospital / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

Dr. Bueno serves as Chief of the Division of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery and Director of the International Mesothelioma Program (IMP) at Brigham and Women's Hospital — the world's longest-running academic mesothelioma program. A Harvard Medical School Professor, he has authored over 400 peer-reviewed articles spanning mesothelioma genomics, diagnostic biomarkers, and surgical innovations. In 2013, he performed the first image-guided video-assisted thoracic surgery (iVATS) on a lung cancer patient. Dr. Bueno is an NCI-funded principal investigator specializing in genomic approaches to mesothelioma diagnosis and treatment personalization, and he led the BWH surgical team to Israel to perform that country's first minimally invasive esophagectomies. He has been recognized as a Boston Magazine Top Doctor and Castle Connolly Top Doctor.

Dr. Raja M. Flores, MD

Institution: Mount Sinai Health System / Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY

Dr. Flores is the Steven and Ann Ames Professor of Thoracic Surgery, System Chair of the Department of Thoracic Surgery, and Director of the Mount Sinai Mesothelioma Program. His landmark 2008 multi-institutional study of 663 patients demonstrated superior survival with P/D compared to EPP, reshaping global surgical practice for mesothelioma. In February 2026, he published new data in the ASCO Post showing zero percent 30-day mortality for P/D in carefully selected patients, directly challenging the MARS2 trial findings. Under his leadership, Mount Sinai earned an elite Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) three-star rating — placing it in the top 2.5 percent nationally — for lung and esophageal surgery outcomes in 2025. Dr. Flores holds an M.S. in Biostatistics from Columbia University and has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles.

Dr. Harvey I. Pass, MD

Institution: NYU Langone Health / Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, NY

Dr. Pass is the Stephen E. Banner Professor of Thoracic Oncology, Chief of Thoracic Oncology, and Director of General Thoracic Surgery at NYU Langone Health. He is among the first physicians to study intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT) for mesothelioma, beginning in 1986, and co-founded a mesothelioma patient advocacy foundation in 1998. Now in his fourth decade of mesothelioma treatment and research, Dr. Pass leads the NCI-funded Early Detection Research Network Biomarker Discovery Laboratory for Mesothelioma and oversees the NCI-funded Mesothelioma Pathogenesis Program Project at NYU. He has authored over 350 peer-reviewed articles and received the Wagner Medal from the International Mesothelioma Interest Group — the field's highest honor — as well as the Pioneer Award from a mesothelioma patient advocacy foundation and Castle Connolly America's Top Doctors recognition.

Dr. Robert B. Cameron, MD

Institution: Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center / West Los Angeles VA Medical Center / Pacific Mesothelioma Center, Los Angeles, CA

Dr. Cameron is the Director of Thoracic Surgery at UCLA, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the VA Medical Center, and Scientific Advisor to the Pacific Mesothelioma Center. He is the leading pioneer of lung-sparing pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) as the surgery of choice over extrapleural pneumonectomy — a position now adopted by most thoracic surgeons worldwide. Dr. Cameron has performed more than 300 P/D procedures with a 90 percent symptom-reduction success rate. He was among the first surgeons to treat mesothelioma as a chronic illness rather than attempting total cure through aggressive surgery, and he co-founded a mesothelioma patient advocacy foundation. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles and earned recognition including Southern California Super Doctors and UCLA's Faculty Teacher of the Year.

Dr. Jacques-Pierre Fontaine, MD

Institution: Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL

Dr. Fontaine is the Section Head of the Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Program at Moffitt Cancer Center, a Professor at the University of South Florida, and Director of the Robotic Thoracic Fellowship Program. Trained as chief resident at Brigham and Women's Hospital under Dr. David Sugarbaker, he built Moffitt's mesothelioma program into a nationally recognized center after becoming section head in 2016. Dr. Fontaine developed a multidisciplinary approach integrating surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy, and has developed expertise in robotic-assisted thoracic surgery for mesothelioma. A graduate of McGill Medical School with a Harvard Thoracic Surgery Fellowship, he is multilingual in English, French, Arabic, and Spanish. He has authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles.

Dr. R. Taylor Ripley, MD

Institution: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Dr. Ripley is a Professor of Surgery and holds the Meyer-DeBakey Chair in Investigative Research at Baylor College of Medicine, where he serves as Director of the Mesothelioma Treatment Center in the David J. Sugarbaker Division of Thoracic Surgery. He was personally recruited by Dr. David Sugarbaker in 2018 to succeed him as director. Dr. Ripley is the principal investigator of the NEMO trial, a randomized phase II study at Baylor and Duke testing chemotherapy plus immunotherapy before surgery versus immunotherapy alone before surgery, which is actively enrolling as of February 2026. He is a specialist in both EPP and P/D procedures, and his research on mitochondrial pathway profiling for thoracic cancer prognostication represents a novel approach to treatment personalization. He co-authored the 2025 ASCO mesothelioma surgery guidelines.

Dr. Andrea Wolf, MD, MPH

Institution: Mount Sinai Health System / Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY

Dr. Wolf is the Director of the New York Mesothelioma Program, Associate Professor of Thoracic Surgery, and Director of the Women's Lung Cancer Program at Mount Sinai. Trained under David Sugarbaker at Brigham and Women's Hospital, she built the NY Mesothelioma Program into a nationally recognized center. In 2021, she launched a clinical trial combining an anti-cancer vaccine with surgery for mesothelioma. Dr. Wolf is co-editor of Sugarbaker's Adult Chest Surgery (3rd edition) and focuses her research on mesothelioma in women and health-care disparities. She received the Irving J. Selikoff Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 and the IASLC Cancer Care Team Award in 2020 with the NY Mesothelioma Program team. She holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School (highest honors) and a Harvard MPH.

Dr. Joseph S. Friedberg, MD, FACS

Institution: University of Maryland School of Medicine / Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD

Dr. Friedberg is the Charles Reid Edwards Professor of Surgery and Head of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Maryland. He is internationally recognized as a pioneer of intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT) for mesothelioma — one of the few surgeons worldwide performing this technique. His radical pleurectomy combined with PDT has achieved a reported median survival exceeding three years in selected patients. Dr. Friedberg previously directed the Penn Mesothelioma and Pleural Program at the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Maryland. He serves on the board of a mesothelioma patient advocacy foundation and has authored over 130 peer-reviewed articles.

Dr. Prasad S. Adusumilli, MD, FACS, FCCP

Institution: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Dr. Adusumilli is the Deputy Chief and Attending of the Thoracic Service, Vice Chair for Translational Research in the Department of Surgery, and Co-Director of the MSK Mesothelioma Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering. He is the world's foremost investigator of CAR T-cell therapy for mesothelioma and solid tumors. His phase I trial of regional mesothelin-targeted CAR T-cell therapy combined with pembrolizumab achieved a 72 percent overall response rate in mesothelioma patients — a landmark result for solid-tumor cellular therapy. His laboratory pioneered intrapleural CAR T-cell delivery, a technique that transforms immunologically cold tumors to hot tumors. He holds the Min H. and Yu-Fan C. Kao Chair in Thoracic Cancers and is a member of the IASLC Mesothelioma Committee.

Dr. Chuong D. Hoang, MD, FACS

Institution: National Cancer Institute / NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD

Dr. Hoang is the Head of the Thoracic Surgery Section in the Thoracic and Oncologic Surgery Branch at the NCI Center for Cancer Research. He leads the NCI's thoracic surgery program for mesothelioma and other thoracic malignancies. His research focuses on molecular determinants of tumor aggressiveness and novel therapeutic strategies including gene therapy. Previously at Stanford University, Dr. Hoang now collaborates with Dr. Raffit Hassan and Dr. David Schrump on NCI mesothelioma protocols. His microRNA hydrogel treatment research represents a novel approach to localized mesothelioma therapy.

Who Are the Top Mesothelioma Medical Oncologists?

Medical oncologists design and manage the systemic treatment protocols that form the backbone of mesothelioma therapy, including chemotherapy regimens, immunotherapy combinations, and clinical trial enrollment. The following six specialists direct mesothelioma programs at leading cancer centers and have shaped national treatment guidelines.

Dr. Anne S. Tsao, MD

Institution: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dr. Tsao is a Professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Director of the Mesothelioma Program, Director of the Thoracic Chemo-Radiation Program, and Vice President of Academic Affairs at MD Anderson — the nation's top-ranked cancer center. She is the principal investigator of multiple mesothelioma clinical trials focusing on novel gene therapy and immunotherapy targets, and she campaigns nationally for expanded immunotherapy use in mesothelioma treatment. Her research centers on molecular mechanisms of mesothelioma and identification of novel therapeutic targets. Dr. Tsao has received the ASCO Merit Award, the MD Anderson Faculty Scholar Award, and is an active ASCO and AACR congressional lobbyist for cancer research funding. She has authored over 100 publications in journals including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Cancer Cell, and Journal of Thoracic Oncology.

Dr. Hedy Lee Kindler, MD

Institution: University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL

Dr. Kindler is a Professor of Medicine, Director of the Multidisciplinary Mesothelioma Program, and Associate Vice Chair for Clinical Research at the University of Chicago. She is one of the most influential mesothelioma medical oncologists in the world and the immediate past president of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG). Dr. Kindler has been instrumental in developing and clinically testing novel chemotherapy agents, angiogenesis inhibitors, and immunotherapy for mesothelioma. She entered the field after her father died from mesothelioma in 2001, bringing a personal connection to her work. She serves as the U.S. co-lead for the DREAM3R trial, an international phase III study testing durvalumab with chemotherapy in first-line epithelioid pleural mesothelioma. Her honors include the Selikoff Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Doctors in America, and America's Top Doctors for Cancer. She has authored over 160 journal articles.

Dr. Marjorie G. Zauderer, MD, MS, FACP, FASCO

Institution: Westchester Medical Center / New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY

Dr. Zauderer moved from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to Westchester Medical Center in 2024, where she now serves as Chief of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Professor of Medicine at New York Medical College. She led MSK's Mesothelioma Program for years, spearheading the MSK BAP1 program investigating inherited mutations predisposing to mesothelioma. She holds two R01 grants and DOD funding for mesothelioma research. Dr. Zauderer received the 2024 Pioneer Award from a mesothelioma patient advocacy organization and serves on the board of directors of a mesothelioma patient foundation. She has authored over 90 peer-reviewed oncology manuscripts and serves on the NCI-CTEP Thoracic Malignancy Steering Committee Mesothelioma Working Group.

Dr. Alberto A. Chiappori, MD

Institution: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

Dr. Chiappori is a Senior Member of Oncology and Medicine in the Thoracic Oncology Program at Moffitt Cancer Center, where he has been treating mesothelioma and lung cancer patients continuously since 2001 — more than two decades. He works directly with Dr. Jacques Fontaine on mesothelioma multidisciplinary care at Moffitt and is active in immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibitor research. Dr. Chiappori is bilingual in English and Spanish, expanding access for Hispanic patients. He received the LUNGevity Foundation Targeted Therapeutics Award for Translational Research in 2014 and is a member of both ASCO and IASLC. He has authored over 100 publications.

Dr. Tawee Tanvetyanon, MD, MPH

Institution: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

Dr. Tanvetyanon is a Senior Member in the Department of Thoracic Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center. He is one of the few oncologists with substantial expertise in both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, giving him a uniquely broad perspective on the disease. He leads clinical research on optimal treatment sequencing and chemotherapy regimens for mesothelioma at Moffitt, and he is active in CRS-HIPEC research for peritoneal mesothelioma. Dr. Tanvetyanon holds an MPH in epidemiology and has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles.

Dr. Joshua E. Reuss, MD

Institution: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital / Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC

Dr. Reuss is a rising star of mesothelioma immunotherapy research who serves as a Thoracic Medical Oncologist and Assistant Professor at Georgetown University Medical Center. He designed the landmark neoadjuvant nivolumab plus or minus ipilimumab trial for resectable mesothelioma during his fellowship at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. He presented results at the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer in Barcelona and published simultaneously in Nature Medicine in September 2025. The study demonstrated feasibility and safety of perioperative immunotherapy and introduced circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a predictive biomarker for surgical candidacy — a potential paradigm shift in how patients are selected for surgery. Dr. Reuss received the ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award in 2019.

Who Leads Mesothelioma Immunotherapy and Translational Research?

Translational researchers bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical treatments. The following two specialists at the National Cancer Institute are developing next-generation targeted therapies that may transform mesothelioma treatment in the coming years.

Dr. Raffit Hassan, MD

Institution: National Cancer Institute / Center for Cancer Research, Bethesda, MD

Dr. Hassan is a Senior Investigator, Chief of the Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, and Head of the Thoracic and Solid Tumor Immunotherapy Section at the NCI. He is the foundational researcher behind mesothelin-targeted therapy for mesothelioma, having performed the initial preclinical studies exploiting mesothelin as a therapeutic target. He has brought multiple mesothelin-directed agents to clinic, including SS1P and LMB-100 (immunotoxins), Amatuximab (chimeric antibody), BAY 94-9343 (antibody-drug conjugate), and hYP218 CAR T cells. Dr. Hassan leads the NCI BAP1 cancer screening program and started a new NCI clinical trial in July 2025 testing innovative immunotherapy using patients' own immune cells against mesothelioma tumors. He has received the Pioneer Award from a mesothelioma patient advocacy foundation and has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles.

Dr. David S. Schrump, MD, MBA, FACS

Institution: National Cancer Institute / NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD

Dr. Schrump is a Senior Investigator and Head of the Thoracic Epigenetics Section in the Thoracic and Oncologic Surgery Branch at the NCI. He is a pioneer in epigenetic therapy for thoracic malignancies including mesothelioma, with research focusing on DNA methylation and histone modification as therapeutic targets. Dr. Schrump leads NCI protocols for mesothelioma combining surgery with epigenetic agents, and he was among the first to study gene-mediated cytotoxic immunotherapy for mesothelioma. He holds both an MD and an MBA in healthcare leadership and has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles.

Who Studies Mesothelioma Pathogenesis and Genetics?

Understanding why mesothelioma develops at the molecular level is essential for developing targeted therapies and identifying at-risk populations. Molecular and genetic testing has revealed that certain inherited mutations dramatically increase mesothelioma risk.

Dr. Michele Carbone, MD, PhD

Institution: University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI

Dr. Carbone is the Director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and the William and Ellen Dempsey Professor. He is the world's leading authority on mesothelioma pathogenesis. His most significant discovery was that germline BAP1 mutations create a cancer syndrome predisposing families to mesothelioma, uveal melanoma, and renal cell carcinoma — findings that have transformed genetic counseling for mesothelioma patients. He has conducted pioneering research on SV40 and its role in mesothelioma development. In 2025, his laboratory identified a new variant of mesothelioma through two landmark studies. Dr. Carbone leads a multi-institutional BAP1 research consortium and directs one of only 72 NCI-designated cancer centers in the United States. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles.

Who Leads Gene Therapy Research for Mesothelioma?

Gene therapy represents one of the most innovative approaches to mesothelioma treatment, delivering therapeutic genetic material directly to tumor cells. This emerging field may offer new options for patients who are not candidates for traditional surgery.

Dr. Daniel H. Sterman, MD

Institution: NYU Langone Health / Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, NY

Dr. Sterman is the Director of the Pulmonary Oncology Program and Professor of Medicine and Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Langone Health. He is the pioneer of gene therapy for mesothelioma, having led the first clinical trials of intratumoral adenovirus-delivered interferon therapy for mesothelioma. His work demonstrated that intrapleural gene therapy could activate the immune system against mesothelioma cells, opening a new avenue for treatment. Dr. Sterman developed novel approaches to drug delivery via the pleural space and is also an authority on pleural diseases broadly, including benign and malignant effusions. Previously at Penn Medicine, he now directs one of the few dedicated pulmonary oncology programs in the United States and has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles.

What Mesothelioma Clinical Trials Are Currently Active?

Clinical trials offer mesothelioma patients access to cutting-edge treatments not yet available through standard care. Several of the specialists profiled above lead major trials that are actively shaping the future of mesothelioma treatment. For comprehensive trial listings, see Mesothelioma Clinical Trials.

Trial	Phase	Lead Investigators	Focus	Status (Feb. 2026)
NEMO (Baylor-Duke)	II	R. Taylor Ripley (Baylor)	Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy plus surgery vs. immunotherapy plus surgery in resectable pleural mesothelioma	Enrolling (52 patients)
Neoadjuvant Nivo +/- Ipi	II	Joshua Reuss (Georgetown/Hopkins)	Perioperative immunotherapy with ctDNA biomarker analysis for resectable mesothelioma	Published (Nature Medicine, Sept. 2025)
DREAM3R	III	Hedy Kindler (U.S. co-lead)	Durvalumab plus chemotherapy vs. standard care in first-line epithelioid pleural mesothelioma	Closed to accrual
CheckMate 743	III	Paul Baas (NKI/Amsterdam)	Nivolumab plus ipilimumab vs. chemotherapy for unresectable mesothelioma — led to FDA approval October 2020	Completed; 3-year follow-up published
Mesothelin CAR T (MSK)	I/II	Prasad Adusumilli (MSK)	Intrapleural mesothelin-targeted CAR T cells plus pembrolizumab	Ongoing
hYP218 CAR T (NCI)	I	Raffit Hassan (NCI)	Mesothelin-targeted CAR T cells for treatment-refractory solid tumors including mesothelioma	Opened July 2025

Sources: Baylor College of Medicine, Nature Medicine, ECOG-ACRIN, ASCO, Bristol Myers Squibb, MSK, NCI

Which Pioneers Shaped Modern Mesothelioma Treatment?

Modern mesothelioma treatment was built on the contributions of surgeons who are no longer actively practicing. Understanding their legacy provides context for how current specialists continue their work.

Dr. David J. Sugarbaker, MD (1953-2018) founded the International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and refined the extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) procedure. His training program produced several of the specialists on this list, including Drs. Bueno, Fontaine, Wolf, and Ripley. In 2014, he moved to Baylor College of Medicine to build the Lung Institute, where he practiced until his death at age 65.

Dr. Paul Sugarbaker, MD (retired) developed cytoreductive surgery with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) for peritoneal mesothelioma at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, establishing the surgical standard for peritoneal disease that is now used worldwide.

Dr. Paul Baas, MD, PhD is the lead investigator of CheckMate 743, the pivotal phase III trial that established nivolumab plus ipilimumab as the first immunotherapy regimen to improve overall survival in unresectable mesothelioma. Published in The Lancet in 2021 with 18.1-month median survival versus 14.1 months for chemotherapy, CheckMate 743 led to FDA approval on October 2, 2020 and fundamentally changed first-line treatment standards worldwide — particularly for non-epithelioid disease where the survival benefit was even more striking at 18.1 versus 8.8 months. Based at the Netherlands Cancer Institute with over 300 publications, Dr. Baas has shaped global mesothelioma practice through IMIG and EORTC leadership.

Dr. Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS remains on faculty at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center but is semi-retired from active surgery. She is the former Chief of Thoracic Surgery at MSK, an American College of Surgeons Icon, and pioneered the mesothelioma staging systems still used internationally today.

How Do You Choose a Mesothelioma Specialist?

Selecting the right specialist is one of the most important decisions following a mesothelioma diagnosis. Because mesothelioma is rare, general oncologists may see only one or two cases in their career. Dedicated mesothelioma specialists bring experience with hundreds of cases, access to cutting-edge clinical trials, and multidisciplinary treatment teams.

Key factors to consider when choosing a specialist:

• Mesothelioma-specific volume: Ask how many mesothelioma patients the doctor treats per year. Specialists at dedicated programs typically see 50 or more cases annually, compared to fewer than five at community practices.
• Multidisciplinary team: The best outcomes come from treatment centers where thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, and pulmonologists collaborate on each case.
• Clinical trial access: Specialists at academic medical centers can offer enrollment in trials testing new immunotherapy combinations, CAR T-cell therapy, and other emerging treatments.
• Surgical expertise: If surgery is being considered, confirm the surgeon performs P/D or EPP regularly — not occasionally — and ask about their complication and mortality rates.
• Second opinions: Most mesothelioma specialists welcome second opinion consultations and can often conduct initial reviews remotely through telemedicine.
• Insurance and travel: Many specialized centers have patient navigators who assist with insurance authorization and travel logistics for out-of-state patients.
• Veterans: Military veterans with mesothelioma may benefit from specialists experienced with VA disability claims and service-connected exposure documentation.

ℹ Note: Getting a second opinion from a mesothelioma specialist does not require leaving your current doctor. Most specialists on this list offer remote consultations and can review pathology slides and imaging without an in-person visit. A second opinion can confirm your diagnosis, suggest additional treatment options, and identify clinical trial opportunities you may not be aware of.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mesothelioma specialist?

A mesothelioma specialist is a physician — typically a thoracic surgeon, medical oncologist, or pulmonologist — who has dedicated a significant portion of their career to treating mesothelioma patients and conducting mesothelioma-specific research. Unlike general oncologists who treat many cancer types, mesothelioma specialists direct named mesothelioma programs, lead mesothelioma clinical trials, and have extensive publication records in mesothelioma-focused journals.

How many mesothelioma specialists are in the United States?

There are approximately 20 to 30 physicians in the United States whose clinical or research practice is primarily dedicated to mesothelioma. This small number reflects the rarity of the disease, which affects only 2,500 to 3,000 Americans annually. The specialists are concentrated at major academic medical centers and NCI-designated cancer centers in about a dozen states.

Does insurance cover seeing a mesothelioma specialist?

Most health insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover consultations with mesothelioma specialists. Many NCI-designated cancer centers and university hospitals accept a wide range of insurance plans. Some specialists offer telemedicine consultations for initial evaluations, reducing the need for travel. Patient navigator services at major cancer centers can help coordinate insurance approvals for out-of-network specialists when necessary.

Should I travel to see a mesothelioma specialist?

For many patients, traveling to a specialized mesothelioma treatment center can be worthwhile. Research consistently shows that patients treated at high-volume centers by experienced specialists have better outcomes than those treated at community hospitals. Many patients travel to major centers for surgery and clinical trial enrollment while receiving follow-up chemotherapy and supportive care closer to home.

Can I get a second opinion from a mesothelioma specialist?

Yes. Second opinions are standard practice in mesothelioma care and are encouraged by most specialists. Many of the physicians listed on this page routinely provide second opinion consultations. This typically involves reviewing pathology slides, imaging studies, and medical records. Several specialists offer remote or telemedicine second opinions that can be completed without travel.

What is the difference between a mesothelioma surgeon and a mesothelioma oncologist?

Mesothelioma surgeons (thoracic surgeons) perform the surgical procedures used to remove tumors, including pleurectomy/decortication and extrapleural pneumonectomy. Mesothelioma oncologists (medical oncologists) manage systemic treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and clinical trials. The best outcomes typically result from both specialists working together in a multidisciplinary team at a specialized center.

What questions should I ask a mesothelioma specialist?

Key questions include: How many mesothelioma patients do you treat per year? What treatment approach do you recommend for my specific cell type and stage? Are there clinical trials I may be eligible for? What are the expected outcomes including survival data for patients like me? Will I have a multidisciplinary treatment team? What is your surgical mortality and complication rate (if surgery is recommended)?

Quick Statistics

• The specialist-to-patient ratio for mesothelioma is roughly 1 dedicated physician per 100 new cases annually, making it one of the most underserved rare cancers in the U.S. workforce
• 14 of the 20 profiled specialists practice on the East Coast (New York, Boston, Baltimore, Washington D.C.), creating a geographic access gap for patients in the Midwest, South, and Mountain West
• U.S. thoracic surgery fellowship programs produce approximately 140 new fellows per year, but fewer than 5 percent pursue mesothelioma-focused careers
• The median age of profiled specialists is mid-50s to early 60s, raising concerns about succession planning as founding-generation mesothelioma surgeons approach retirement
• 4 of the 20 specialists were trained directly by Dr. David Sugarbaker at Brigham and Women's Hospital, illustrating the field's reliance on a single training pipeline
• Average wait time for a new-patient appointment at a top mesothelioma center ranges from 2 to 6 weeks, compared to same-week availability at community oncology practices
• International mesothelioma burden is expected to peak between 2025 and 2030 in Western Europe and Japan, increasing demand for specialist expertise globally
• Mesothelioma patients who travel to a specialist center for surgery report higher satisfaction scores and lower regret rates compared to those who chose proximity over expertise
• Mesothelioma specialist consultations via telemedicine increased 400 percent after 2020, expanding access for rural and underserved patients who cannot travel to major centers
• Among the 6 clinical trials led by profiled specialists, 3 are currently enrolling patients as of February 2026, including the NEMO trial at Baylor-Duke and the NCI hYP218 CAR T trial

Get Help

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, connecting with an experienced specialist and understanding your legal rights can make a significant difference in treatment outcomes and financial recovery.

• Danziger & De Llano, LLP — experienced mesothelioma attorneys who can help identify top specialists in your area, file compensation claims, and connect you with treatment centers. Call (855) 699-5441 for a free consultation.
• Mesothelioma Lawyer Center — comprehensive legal resources including attorney matching, trust fund filing guides, and information on mesothelioma specialist referrals.
• Mesothelioma.net — patient education resource with specialist directories, treatment center reviews, clinical trial databases, and caregiver support information.

Related Pages

• Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
• Mesothelioma Treatment Centers
• Mesothelioma Surgery Overview
• Pleurectomy and Decortication
• Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma
• Understanding Your Diagnosis
• Treatment Options
• Survival Statistics
• Mesothelioma Surgery Recovery
• Mesothelioma Molecular and Genetic Testing

Free, Confidential Case Evaluation Call (855) 699-5441 or visit dandell.com/contact-us No upfront fees • Experienced representation • National practice

⚠ Statute of Limitations Warning: Filing deadlines vary by state from 1-6 years from diagnosis. Texas allows 2 years from diagnosis or discovery. Contact an attorney immediately to preserve your rights.