UCLA Medical Center
10790 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90025
The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center is part of the UCLA Health system. The medical center, named after former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, is affiliated with a mesothelioma cancer center: the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Pleural Mesothelioma
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
10790 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, California
Dr. Robert Cameron
Dr. Jay Lee
Dr. Bryan Burt
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More About Mesothelioma Treatment at UCLA Medical Center
Mesothelioma is a rare disease with poor survival rates, and patients should search for a medical center with staff capable of providing high-quality care.
UCLA Medical Center, which opened in the 1960s, is dedicated to patient care and recovery for all types of cancer. Lung cancer therapy and mesothelioma treatment are tentpoles at the institution. The focus of the institution is on pleural mesothelioma, which forms in the lining of the lungs.
The team includes: Dr. Bryan Burt, a thoracic surgeon; and Dr. Jay Lee, the Surgical Director of the UCLA Thoracic Oncology Program. Dr. Burt previously worked at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Lee is a member of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group.
Dr. Fereidoun Abtin is an interventional radiologist at UCLA. He’s an important part of the diagnostic process for mesothelioma.
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated institution. This is a prestigious recognition of a cancer center’s care.
- Dr. Robert Cameron, pleural mesothelioma/thoracic surgeon
- Dr. Jay Lee, Surgical Director of UCLA Thoracic Oncology Program
- Dr. Bryan Burt, thoracic surgeon
- Dr. Fereidoun Abtin, interventional radiologist
- Dr. Olga Olevsky, hematologist and oncologist
- Dr. Jane Yanagawa, cardiothoracic surgeon
- Kaily M. Byfield, nurse practitioner
- Roma Ciella Casas Dasalla, nurse practitioner
- School of Medicine at UCLA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Pleurectomy with decortication surgery
- Radiation and chemotherapy
- Tumor treating fields therapy
Get Connected to UCLA Medical Center
UCLA Medical Center welcomes patients from across the country to receive treatment for mesothelioma. The options include surgery that leaves both lungs in the chest, which helps patients with breathing and recovery after the operation.
Why Choose UCLA?
- Robotics-assisted techniques for surgery
- Hosts many mesothelioma clinical trials
Leading Center Along the West Coast
UCLA has pioneered surgery techniques targeting only the tumor while keeping the lungs, pericardium and diaphragm healthy. This is called P/D surgery for mesothelioma.
After surgery, radiation therapy kills remaining cancer cells. Investigational therapies developed at UCLA work to target microscopic disease and slow its regrowth.
UCLA Medical Center is also approved to prescribe the Optune Lua tumor treating fields device to patients. This device is for cases where tumors cannot be removed with surgery.
The medical staff at UCLA is realistic in recognizing mesothelioma cannot be completely eliminated from the body. Instead, the physicians treat it like other chronic conditions, utilizing frequent therapies to slow or even halt growth of microscopic tumors.
Patients suffering from sarcomatoid mesothelioma also benefit from UCLA’s specific knowledge. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma requires a different kind of treatment, and UCLA has focused research specifically for this rare disease.
- Listed in the U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 hospitals Honor Roll
- Ranked 9th in cancer treatment
- Ranked 3rd in lung cancer surgery (pleural mesothelioma)
- Ranked 4th in gastrointestinal cancer surgery (peritoneal mesothelioma)
- Ranked 1st in California
Finding a Cancer Center for Mesothelioma Care
UCLA Medical Center provides a few benefits, such as:
- Individualized treatment
- Minimally invasive surgeries
- Trained staff
However, other cancer centers may be a better fit for your diagnosis. The team at Mesothelioma Guide is knowledgeable of the best cancer centers for patients and maintains a relationship with the top centers.
Contact one of our patient advocates to get in touch with UCLA Medical Center. You can also get a full list of our cancer center recommendations by sending us your information here. Lastly, you can email registered nurse Karen Ritter at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com.
Sources & Author
- Robert B. Cameron, MD. UCLA Health. Retrieved from: https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/robert-cameron. Accessed: 09/30/2021.
- Mesothelioma Program. UCLA Health. Retrieved from: https://www.uclahealth.org/departments/surgery/divisions/thoracic-surgery/clinical-programs/mesothelioma-program. Accessed: 05/17/2023.
- Jay M. Lee, MD. UCLA Health. Retrieved from: https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/jay-lee. Accessed: 10/08/2021.
- Fereidoun Abtin, MD. UCLA Health. Retrieved from: https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/fereidoun-abtin. Accessed: 10/08/2021.
- UCLA Medical Center. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from: https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/ca/ucla-medical-center-6931755. Accessed: 07/21/2024.
