Johns Hopkins Medicine

More About Mesothelioma Treatment at Johns Hopkins Medicine

Mesothelioma is a fast-spreading cancer that can quickly reach vital organs such as the lungs or heart. Specialists at hospitals such as Johns Hopkins can provide effective treatment to slow the disease’s spread and possibly even remove it with surgery.

Doctors at Johns Hopkins provide care to patients with both main types of mesothelioma: pleural mesothelioma (lining of the lungs) and peritoneal mesothelioma (lining of the abdominal cavity).

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

Johns Hopkins Medicine is a health network that includes the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is a mesothelioma cancer center of excellence. It’s a high-ranking center in the United States.

This mesothelioma cancer center is listed in the 2024-2025 U.S. News & World Report Hospitals Honor Roll. It’s the top-ranked hospital in Baltimore and is ranked sixth for cancer treatment, sixth gastrointestinal surgery, and seventh for lung cancer surgery, which relate to the main types of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma treatment at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center falls within the lung cancer program’s Thoracic Center of Excellence. This center is located at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center location. Johns Hopkins University Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, a highly prestigious recognition.

Doctors at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Patrick Forde is the Director of Thoracic Oncology Clinical Research. He is one of the mesothelioma specialists at Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Forde’s focus is on leading clinical trials for mesothelioma, such as phase 2 and phase 3 studies using immunotherapy for this cancer.

Dr. Julie Brahmer, another mesothelioma doctor at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, is Co-Director of the Upper Aerodigestive Department within the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. She is one of the doctors who mesothelioma patients will meet with regularly.

Dr. Russell Hales is Director of Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Program. Dr. Richard Battafarano, the Regional Director of Thoracic Surgery, is the primary surgeon for pleural mesothelioma.

Dr. Fabian Johnston is the peritoneal mesothelioma specialist and HIPEC expert for the cancer center.

Experienced Mesothelioma Specialists

• Dr. Patrick Forde, Director of Thoracic Oncology Clinical Research Program
• Dr. Julie Brahmer, Co-Director of the Upper Aerodigestive Department within the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
• Dr. Stephen Yang, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Russell Hales, Director of Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Program
• Dr. Peter Illei, Associate Professor of Pathology
• Dr. Richard Battafarano, Regional Director of General Thoracic Surgery
• Dr. Fabian Johnston, Chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology
• Peggy Lang, nurse navigator

Affiliations

• Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
• Sibley Memorial Hospital
• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Treatment Specialties

• Extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery
• HIPEC/cytoreduction surgery (peritoneal mesothelioma)
• Systemic chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Clinical trials

Connect to Johns Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins Medicine is one of the top-ranked hospitals for cancer treatment in the United States. The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center features a team of mesothelioma experts for patient care, including highly qualified surgeons and oncologists.

Why Choose Johns Hopkins?

• Host site for immunotherapy clinical trials
• Top ranking among prestigious cancer centers
• Surgery an option for both types of mesothelioma

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Use of Cutting-Edge Therapies for Mesothelioma

Johns Hopkins’ Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center hosted an exciting mesothelioma clinical trial. The study featured the immunotherapy drug durvalumab with chemotherapy drugs pemetrexed and cisplatin. The combination led to a median survival of 20.4 months. For patients with the epithelioid cell type, the median survival was two years (24 months).

This study, called the PrE0505 study, was deemed a massive success in determining if immunotherapy and chemotherapy could work together as a multimodal mesothelioma treatment. It also proved durvalumab can help extend the lives of mesothelioma patients.

Johns Hopkins Hospital is one of the cancer institutions utilizing robotics for minimally invasive surgery. This type of method is key for thoracic surgery, but it is limited to biopsy procedures for mesothelioma.

Hospital Ranking

• Listed in the U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 Hospitals Honor Roll
• Ranked 6th for cancer treatment in general
• Ranked 6th for gastrointestinal cancer surgery (peritoneal mesothelioma)
• Ranked 7th for lung cancer surgery (pleural mesothelioma)
• Ranked 1st in the state of Maryland

Visit Johns Hopkins Hospital for Mesothelioma Care

Reach out to our patient advocate team for assistance in choosing a cancer center. If you live in the mid-Atlantic or northeast region, you may be able to travel to Baltimore, Maryland, easily.  Our registered nurse and patient advocate, Karen Ritter, can help you find the best options for your specific needs. You can contact her directly at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com.

If you live outside these regions, you have options. Our patient advocates can look into grants to help cover some costs of traveling to an out-of-area medical center. You also may find a mesothelioma cancer center close to where you reside. Your priorities in choosing a hospital are:

• Trained and experienced mesothelioma specialists
• Wide variety of treatment options and testing of new therapies

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine fits these two criteria. We can help you connect with the Johns Hopkins team or find another cancer center fitting your needs.

Sources & Author

1. Lung Cancer Types. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/lung-cancer/lung-cancer-types. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
2. Patrick Forde, M.B.B.Ch. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/patrick-forde. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
3. Julie Renee Brahmer, M.D. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/julie-brahmer. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
4. Peter Bella Illei, M.D. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/peter-illei. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
5. Richard James Battafarano, M.D., Ph.D. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/richard-battafarano. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
6. A Thoracic Center of Excellence. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/cancers_we_treat/lung_cancer_program/_docs/Thoracic.pdf. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
7. HIPEC Surgery: What You Need to Know. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/hipec-surgery-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
8. Comprehensive Thoracic Surgery. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/surgery/specialty-areas/thoracic-surgery/. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
9. Immunotherapy-Chemotherapy Treatment Coupled with In-Depth Genomic Analyses Leads to Improved Survival for Patients with Mesothelioma. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/immunotherapy-chemotherapy-treatment-coupled-with-in-depth-genomic-analyses-leads-to-improved-survival-for-patients-with-mesothelioma. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
10. Johns Hopkins Hospital. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from: https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/md/johns-hopkins-hospital-6320180. Accessed: 07/25/2024.

About the Writer, Karen Ritter, RN BSN

Karen Ritter, a registered nurse, is the lead patient advocate for Mesothelioma Guide. She has a deep passion for patient care, which includes helping patients and their families search for treatment options at the top mesothelioma cancer centers. She finds the balance between encouraging patients to receive the best treatment possible while enjoying their time with loved ones and friends. Karen is a valuable asset for patients due to her knowledge of mesothelioma, compassion for the victims of this disease and dedication to guiding patients through their treatment journey.