Dr. Joel Baumgartner
Surgical Oncologist at UC San Diego Health
Dr. Joel Baumgartner is one of the best mesothelioma doctors along the West Coast. He’s the primary peritoneal mesothelioma surgeon at Moores Cancer Center, which is part of the University of California San Diego Health System.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Moores Cancer Center at University of California San Diego Health
3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
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More About Mesothelioma Specialist Dr. Joel Baumgartner
Mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer caused by asbestos, has two main types. One of them, called peritoneal mesothelioma, forms in the lining of the abdominal cavity and can quickly spread inside the cavity to several organs.
Treating this type of mesothelioma is a specialty of Dr. Baumgartner. He sees 10-15 peritoneal mesothelioma patients a year at UC San Diego Health’s Moores Cancer Center.
Dr. Baumgartner is one of many mesothelioma specialists who completed a fellowship for training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).
“It has changed ever since I was there,” he said of the fellowship. “It’s basically a large peritoneal surface malignancy program. A lot of the training in the fellowship involves taking care of these patients.”
- Medical Degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, 2003
- Residency in General Surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, 2003‑2010
- Fellowship in General Surgical Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2010‑2012
- Certified by the American Board of Surgery
Get Connected to Dr. Joel Baumgartner
Dr. Baumgartner sees patients from across the country. He is part of a national HIPEC program and sees 10‑15 people with peritoneal mesothelioma a year. He joined the UC San Diego Health System in 2013 as part of Moores Cancer Center.
Why Choose Dr. Baumgartner?
- Vast experience with HIPEC for peritoneal mesothelioma
- Support for immunotherapy in many cases
- Open to virtual consultations and appointments
Treatment Protocol at Moores Cancer Center
Protocol of mesothelioma treatment at top cancer centers such as Moores Caner Center includes surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Dr. Baumgartner’s training included learning how to perform surgery for mesothelioma.
The main surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma is HIPEC and cytoreductive surgery. HIPEC stands for heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy. It is delivered into the abdominal cavity during surgery to attack tiny cancer cells that cannot be removed with surgery.
“I see almost all of the mesothelioma patients at Moores Cancer Center,” he said. “It was not a disease I was ever exposed to at all in medical school or residency training. I did see quite a few at UPMC when I was there for my fellowship.”
Experience With HIPEC Surgery for Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Dr. Baumgartner said he performs cytoreduction and HIPEC surgery at least five times a year and is open to considering patients for surgery when other doctors might not. This is a promising sign for patients hoping for an aggressive treatment plan.
“What interested me then and still does today is — even though it’s an aggressive disease and not all are surgical candidates — for the ones who are surgical candidates, I think we have as big of an impact for this disease as any we do cytoreduction and HIPEC for,” he said. “Cytoreduction/HIPEC seems to give pretty good outcomes compared to what other options there are. We like to do those big operations and put patients through big recoveries if they will be meaningful for their survival and quality of life.”
Survival without surgery is usually 1‑2 years. Cytoreduction with HIPEC is associated with a 5‑year mesothelioma survival rate of at least 50%. At some cancer centers, like Moores Cancer Center, the rates of success and prognosis for patients are even better.
“We see a wide range of outcomes, even after surgery,” Dr. Baumgartner said. “In all cases, the goal is to do a complete cytoreduction and HIPEC, which means removing all of the tumors and cancer cells.”
Cytoreductive/HIPEC Surgery Steps and Eligibility
Cytoreductive surgery involves removal of the omentum and any overrun organs, such as the spleen. However, if there are just a few noticeable tumors, Dr. Baumgartner tries to gradually remove the nodules.
“Sometimes there is just one or two dots of disease on the spleen and we can ablate those,” he said. “I’ve never been a believer in taking out normal tissue.”
The peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity, is where mesothelioma forms at first. This lining can be spared, which is important since it protects the abdominal cavity and its many organs.
“The peritoneum is not just the abdominal wall and diaphragm,” Dr. Baumgartner said. “It also covers the abdominal organs.”
Patient selection is complicated for HIPEC surgery. There’s a focus on the subtype of the disease, volume of cancer and more. Imaging tests are integral to staging the disease and determining surgical candidacy.
“Mesothelioma is so hard to image to get a good sense of the disease, even with a great MRI,” he said.
Scheduling a Meeting With Dr. Baumgartner
The protocol may include mesothelioma chemotherapy after cytoreduction/HIPEC surgery. Chemotherapy is often an option if patients still have some tumors after the surgery, or if their cancer returns and begins spreading again.
If you would like to schedule a meeting with Dr. Baumgartner, contact our staff. You can send us your information through our free Doctor Match form or contact a patient advocate directly. It is important to do this as soon as possible to give yourself the best chance of being eligible for surgery.
Sources & Author
- Joel M. Baumgartner, MD. UC San Diego Health. Retrieved from: https://providers.ucsd.edu/details/12183/surgery-cancer. Accessed: 08/31/2021.
- Joel Baumgartner. UC San Diego. Retrieved from: https://profiles.ucsd.edu/joel.baumgartner. Accessed: 08/31/2021.
