Dr. Jacques Fontaine
Section Head of Mesothelioma Treatment Center at Moffitt Cancer Center
Dr. Jacques Fontaine is a mesothelioma doctor located in Florida. He leads mesothelioma care and treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. He trained under the late Dr. David Sugarbaker.
Pleural Mesothelioma
Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612
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More Information About Mesothelioma Specialist Dr. Jacques Fontaine
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer diagnosed in approximately 2,500 people in the United States each year. People with this cancer deserve high-quality treatment from experienced medical professionals.
Dr. Fontaine is one of the top mesothelioma specialists. He joined the thoracic oncology team at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in 2011 as a thoracic surgeon. Moffitt is the third-largest cancer center in the United States.
He is the Section Head of the cancer institute’s Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center, which he created when joining in 2011.
“It was at first very exciting and then a little frustrating because things go slower than you want,” he said. “Over time we got it going, and now it’s very fulfilling.”
Dr. Fontaine started his medical career at the University of Montreal but joined the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Brown University’s medical school in Providence, Rhode Island. He helped develop a thoracic surgery program at one of the college’s teaching hospitals.
- Medical Degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1997
- Residency in General Surgery at Boston University, 2002
- Residency in Cardiothoracic Surgery at University of Massachusetts, 2006
- Fellowship in Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts
- Certified in thoracic surgery by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery
- Certified in thoracic surgery by the American Board of Surgery
Get Connected to Dr. Jacques Fontaine
Dr. Fontaine performs surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma. He’s certified in thoracic surgery by two organizations and trained with Dr. David Sugarbaker at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Why Choose Dr. Fontaine?
- Leader of Moffitt’s mesothelioma division
- Does both P/D and EPP surgeries
- Fluent in four languages and teaches at a university
Other Professional Accolades
Dr. Fontaine learned about mesothelioma treatment under Dr. David Sugarbaker through a thoracic surgery fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. This experience led to a clinical interest in mesothelioma.
Dr. Fontaine’s interested in robotics surgery and minimally invasive surgery. However, robotics surgery doesn’t have an application for mesothelioma treatment. He’s fluent in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. Being multilingual allows him to connect with patients of many backgrounds.
His other professional titles include:
- Senior member of the Department of Thoracic Oncology
- Senior member of the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology
- Director for Moffitt Thoracic Robotics Surgery Fellowship Program
- Professor at the University of South Florida
Preference for Lung-Sparing Surgery
Dr. Fontaine sees approximately 70 patients a year who have pleural mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma forms in the lining of the lungs.
Of his patients each year, 15 or so are surgery cases. He can perform both pleurectomy/decortication surgery and extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery. The former leaves both lungs in the chest cavity, while a pneumonectomy involves lung resection.
Dr. Fontaine prefers pleurectomy/decortication due to a number of often-mentioned reasons:
- Better quality of life
- Fewer complications
- Less recovery time
- Better to handle treatment after surgery
“It’s easier to bounce back,” Dr. Fontaine said. “So when the next doctor comes in and recommends chemotherapy, you are more likely to tolerate treatment if you recuperate easier.”
Extended or “radical” pleurectomy/decortication removes the pleural lining, diaphragm and pericardium. This is Dr. Fontaine’s approach to surgery for mesothelioma.
However, extrapleural pneumonectomy is still a viable option. Dr. Fontaine says he wants to remove all tumors seen by the naked eye. So if tumors invade lung tissue, this surgery is likely the best option.
How to See Dr. Fontaine for Treatment
His patient review rating on Moffitt Cancer Center’s website is 4.9 out of 5 stars. One of his reviews, from March 2021, is a glowing summary of why he’s a celebrated thoracic surgeon and specialist.
“Dr Fontaine explained everything I needed to know and his suggestion of treatment was spot on,” the review says. “He is a wonderful doctor.”
We can put you in touch with Dr. Fontaine and his team at Moffitt Cancer Center. He leads the Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center at the cancer institute. If you want to meet with him about your diagnosis and options, get in touch with our registered nurse and patient advocate, Karen Ritter, RN, who can help you schedule an appointment. Email her at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com.
Another option is filling out our free Doctor Match program form. This will provide you a list of specialists to choose from for your surgery or treatment plan.
Sources & Author
- Jacques Fontaine, MD. Moffitt Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://moffitt.org/providers/jacques-fontaine/. Accessed: 10/22/2021.
- Dr. Jacques Fontaine, Thoracic Surgeon in Tampa, FL. Florida Chest Surgery. Retrieved from: https://www.floridachestsurgery.com/about/. Accessed: 10/22/2021.
