University of California San Francisco Health
1600 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, California 94115
University of California San Francisco Health features the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center as a mesothelioma cancer center of excellence. This center is part of the UCSF Health network, featuring a mesothelioma surgeon for pleural disease.
Pleural Mesothelioma
University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
1600 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, California
Dr. David Jablons
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More About Mesothelioma Treatment at UCSF Health
University of California San Francisco Health is one of the top institutions for treating the rare cancer mesothelioma. It features a mesothelioma surgeon and a roster full of medical oncologists skilled in treating thoracic cancers, including pleural mesothelioma. The health system’s resources include a medical center, medical school and cancer center.
Dr. David Jablons, the thoracic surgeon for most mesothelioma cases, is the Chief of General Thoracic Surgery at the center. One of the features of UCSF Health is the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. This facility is where patients often go for mesothelioma treatment.
The cancer center has a Thoracic Surgery and Oncology Clinic. It’s also a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center.
Dr. Thierry Jahan, another mesothelioma specialist, was on staff at UCSF Health’s cancer center until 2020. He retired as a cancer doctor and medical school professor in June of that year.
“I started in this disease close to 20 years ago when we really had very little to offer other than comfort measures and treatment to ease people’s suffering,” Dr. Jahan said. “Now we’re up to having state-of-the-art molecular analyses and specifically designed drugs that target exactly the disease and very little else so they don’t cause a lot of side effects.”
- Dr. David Jablons, Chief of General Thoracic Surgery
- Dr. Melissa Coleman, thoracic surgeon
- Dr. Trever Bivona, thoracic medical oncologist
- Dr. Kent Adler, oncologist
- Dr. Gregory Allen, thoracic medical oncologist
- Dr. Natalie Marshall, medical oncologist
- Dr. Caroline E. McCoach, thoracic medical oncologist
- Dr. Collin Blakely, thoracic medical oncologist
- Dr. Sorbarikor Piawah, gastrointestinal oncologist
- Dr. Melisa L. Wong, thoracic medical oncologist
- Dr. Steve Braunstein, radiation oncologist
- Dr. Shayne Cardozo, thoracic surgery and oncology nurse coordinator
- Marla Magante, nurse navigator
- Joan O’Mahoney, nurse practitioner
- Daphne Stuart, social worker
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center
- University of California San Francisco School of Medicine
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Pleurectomy/decortication surgery
- Extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery
- Systemic chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
Get Connected to UCSF Health Medical Center
University of California San Francisco Health is one of the top medical facilities along the West Coast. The center’s Chief of General Thoracic Surgery is Dr. David Jablons, a mesothelioma specialist. He leads mesothelioma treatment at the health network’s world-renowned cancer center.
Why Choose UCSF Health?
- Top surgeon leading pleural mesothelioma care
- Abundance of treatment options for patients
- Unique mesothelioma trials testing new therapies
Deciding Between Two Surgeries
UCSF Health’s website says the two surgery options for stage 1 mesothelioma are extrapleural pneumonectomy and pleurectomy/decortication. The former removes the affected lung while the latter spares both lungs and focuses on taking out the pleural lining and diaphragm.
For stages 2-4, the staff focuses on pleurectomy/decortication or systemic therapy such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Other options are radiation therapy and procedures to drain fluid, notably pleurodesis.
- Listed in the U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 Hospitals Honor Roll
- Ranked 7th in cancer treatment
- Ranked 18th in gastrointestinal cancer surgery (peritoneal mesothelioma)
- Ranked 4th in lung cancer surgery (pleural mesothelioma)
- Ranked 1st in San Francisco
- Ranked 1st in California
Unique Therapies Offered in Clinical Trials
UCSF Health’s cancer center hosts multiple clinical trials at a time with spots for mesothelioma cases. One of the more unique studies is for a CAR T-cell therapy called gavo-cel. This autologous therapy trains human T cells to target the cancerous protein mesothelin, which is usually on the surface of mesothelioma cancer cells.
The trial is in early phases with room for up to 70 patients. Another clinical trial at UCSF Health uses Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) on various solid tumor cancers, including mesothelioma.
Start Your Treatment Journey at UCSF Health
With one decision, you or your loved one could be taking a significant step toward a life-changing treatment plan. This one decision is ultimately which cancer center you’ll go to for treatment.
University of California San Francisco’s cancer center is a worthy choice. As one of the best medical facilities along the West Coast, it has an abundance of resources and patient-first staff to help you through your treatment journey.
Email our lead patient advocate, Nurse Karen Ritter, with any questions about UCSF Health. She can also help you schedule an appointment or look for another hospital to fit your individual needs. Her email is karen@mesotheliomaguide.com.
Sources & Author
- Thoracic Surgery and Oncology Clinic. UCSF Health. Retrieved from: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/clinics/thoracic-surgery-and-oncology. Accessed: 03/03/2022.
- Malignant Mesothelioma. UCSF Health. Retrieved from: https://top.ucsf.edu/conditions–procedures/malignant-mesothelioma.aspx. Accessed: 03/03/2022.
- Find a Cancer Center. National Cancer Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers/find. Accessed: 03/03/2022.
- UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from: https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/ca/ucsf-medical-center-6930043. Accessed: 07/25/2024.
- Phase 1/2 Trial of Gavo-cel (TC-210) in Patients With Advanced Mesothelin-Expressing Cancer. Clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03907852. Accessed: 03/06/2022.
