Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

More About Mesothelioma Treatment at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is an emerging hospital for mesothelioma care. The focus is pleural mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the lining near the lungs. Tumors in this lining can multiply and spread toward the lungs, which may require surgery.

Roswell Park’s treatment team includes multiple thoracic surgeons, many of whom treat pleural mesothelioma. The cancer center is an affiliate of the University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Many of the surgeons and oncologists are professors of the medical school.

Experienced Mesothelioma Specialists

• Dr. Sai Yendamuri, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Director of the Thoracic Surgery Laboratory
• Dr. John Kane III, Chair of Surgical Oncology
• Dr. Grace Dy, Chief of Thoracic Oncology
• Dr. Elisabeth Dexter, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Todd Demmy, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Hongbin Chen, associate professor of oncology
• Dr. Nadia Malik, Director of Thoracic Radiation Services
• Karen Pfentner, nurse practitioner
• Jamie Kerner, nurse practitioner

Affiliations

• Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (University of Buffalo)
• Ellis Hospital

Treatment Specialties

• Pleurectomy/decortication surgery
• Extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery
• Cytoreductive/HIPEC surgery
• Hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy
• Systemic chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy

Get Connected to Roswell Park Cancer Center

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center welcomes patients with both pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. The center offers heated intraoperative chemotherapy treatment for both types. An experienced surgical staff can improve patient survival despite the aggressive nature of this cancer.

Why Choose Roswell Park?

• Multimodal treatment plans for patients
• Experienced surgeons and oncologists
• Clinical trials for novel therapies

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Advanced Surgery for Pleural Mesothelioma and Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Roswell Park features at least three surgeons involved in pleural mesothelioma cases. They are:

• Dr. Sai Yendamuri, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Director of the Thoracic Surgery Laboratory
• Dr. Todd Demmy, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Elisabeth Dexter, thoracic surgeon

Additionally, Dr. Grace Dy is Chief of Thoracic Oncology, which means she is heavily involved in pleural mesothelioma treatment. She will communicate with patients about their treatment plan and use of chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Dr. Nadia Malik, the Director of Thoracic Radiation Services, is also involved in

HIPEC Program Leads to Innovation

Dr. John Kane III is the Chair of Surgical Oncology. He is involved in Roswell Park’s care for peritoneal mesothelioma patients. Dr. Kane developed the hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) program in 2002. This therapy is a cornerstone option for peritoneal malignancies.

Roswell Park is one of just a few New York cancer centers offering cytoreduction and HIPEC surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma. Dr. Kane’s efforts led to Roswell Park’s thoracic team beginning to use intrathoracic chemotherapy for pleural mesothelioma surgery cases.

While he is no longer the head of HIPEC treatment, Dr. Kane still advises staff on cases of peritoneal mesothelioma.

Hospital Ranking

• Not listed in the U.S. News & World Report 2023-2024 Hospitals Honor Roll

Clinical Trials for Mesothelioma at Roswell Park

In addition to his role as Chair of the Department of Surgery, Dr. Yendamuri is the principal investigator in a clinical trial using photodynamic therapy for mesothelioma. This method of novel therapy uses a light-sensitive therapy to expose and kill mesothelioma cells – before or after surgery.

This is one of two clinical trials recruiting patients as of 2022. The other clinical trial uses the immunotherapy pairing of nivolumab and ipilimumab.

Roswell Park has hosted some completed trials, including a vaccine therapy for stage 1 and stage 2 mesothelioma cases. The idea was to supply patients’ immune systems with a vaccine to withstand recurrence and kill any remaining tiny tumors after mesothelioma surgery.

Going to Roswell Park for Mesothelioma Care

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center provides empathetic and personalized care for mesothelioma patients and loved ones who seek treatment at the hospital. The team includes thoracic surgeons and medical oncologists for a multimodal approach involving surgery, chemotherapy and clinical trials.

Mesothelioma Guide has patient advocates who can lend a hand in scheduling your first meeting with Roswell Park doctors. Email Karen Ritter, our registered nurse, at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com with your questions about mesothelioma cancer centers.

Sources & Author

1. Mees the Mesothelioma Team. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/cancer/mesothelioma/team. Accessed: 05/18/2023.
2. Sai Yendamuri, MD, FACS. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/sai-yendamuri. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
3. Nadia Malik, MD. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/nadia-malik. Accessed: 05/18/2023.
4. Grace Dy, MD. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/grace-dy. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
5. John M. Kane III, MD, FACS. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/john-kane-iii. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
6. Hongbin Chen, MD, PhD. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/hongbin-chen. Accessed. 03/17/2022.
7. Todd Demmy, MD, FACS. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. https://www.roswellpark.org/todd-demmy. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
8. Tallat Mahmood, MD. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/tallat-mahmood. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
9. Light Dosimetry for Photodynamic Therapy With Porfimer Sodium in Treating Participants With Malignant Mesothelioma or Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With Pleural Disease Undergoing Surgery. Clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03678350. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
10. Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage I, Stage II, or Stage IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer or With Stage I or Stage II Mesothelioma. Clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00003974. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
11. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from: https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/ny/roswell-park-cancer-institute-6211120. Accessed: 03/17/2022.

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.