Finding the Right Expert for Your Diagnosis

Only an experienced pleural mesothelioma specialist can properly diagnose and treat this rare disease. We work with the top doctors around the country and help patients find the best treatment team for their individual diagnosis.

Although pleural is the most common type of mesothelioma, it is still a rare cancer with about 2,000 to 3,000 people diagnosed in the United States each year. Sometimes it may seem as if doctors who specialize in treating this disease are as rare as the cancer itself, but finding a specialist should be your number one priority.
If you want to beat this cancer, a specialist and an expert team of health care professionals are the ones who are most qualified to treat you.
That's why we are here to help you find the specialist who fits your specific diagnosis. Our free Doctor Match program puts you in contact with the best doctors who can give you a fighting chance. We can even help you access funds to help you or your family cover the expenses associated with treatment, travel and accommodation.
Get Matched with A Doctor in Your Area

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Why Do I Need a Specialist?

Finding a specialist is extremely important. Only experienced doctors who have diagnosed and treated this disease before can offer you the most promising and most accurate prognosis.

Knowledge and Experience

Specialists offer knowledge, experience and skill. They know the intricacies and subtleties of the disease and have access to the latest advances in technology and treatment options. Doctors with years of experience know this disease better than anyone and are better prepared for the challenges associated with it.

Accurate Diagnosis

They also have the ability to accurately diagnosis this type of cancer while developing a treatment plan unique to your situation. A specialist with experience diagnosing and treating different stages and cell types of pleural mesothelioma can give you the best possible prognosis.

Non-Specialists

Doctors inexperienced with the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma can make a number of costly mistakes. For one, they may misdiagnose your cancer as a less severe respiratory condition, delaying proper treatment. They could also misjudge the stage of your cancer and start a treatment plan that is ineffective for your current state of disease.

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What to Consider When Choosing a Doctor

Several factors can help you choose the right doctor to oversee your care. Consider the following factors before making a final decision:

• 1

  Experience

• 2

  Compassion and Understanding

• 3

  Location

• 4

  Quality of Cancer Center

• 5

  Insurance

Experience

First and foremost, your doctor should have years of experience treating pleural mesothelioma. Depending upon what stage you are diagnosed at, you’ll want to select doctors who specialize in the kind of treatment you’ll benefit from the most. For example, not everyone is diagnosed early enough to qualify for surgery, but those who do qualify should select a mesothelioma doctor who specializes in thoracic surgery. If you don’t qualify for surgery, select oncologists who specialize in chemotherapy or radiation therapy for pleural mesothelioma.

Getting Patients to Top Doctors

One of the first steps to improving your prognosis is finding a specialist who is familiar with your specific diagnosis. Our team of dedicated patient advocates will help match you to a doctor based on your diagnosis and location.

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Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Before choosing a cancer doctor and treatment center, ask your doctor some basic questions to make sure you can get the help you need:

How much experience do you have treating pleural mesothelioma?
How many years have you worked in the field?
What cancer centers have you worked for?
Do you have experience treating my specific subtype (cell type) of mesothelioma?
Does this facility offer access to clinical trials?
What treatments do you usually offer for this cancer?
What treatments do you recommend for me?
Do the radiologists, pathologists and other cancer doctors you work alongside also have experience treating mesothelioma?
Can you help me find alternative and supplemental therapies beyond the standard care?
Can you tell me the stage of my tumor and estimate my life expectancy?
Do I have to accept all treatment recommendations?
How will the suggested treatment plan help me? How will it affect my lifestyle?

Types of Specialists

With pleural mesothelioma, treatment will likely involve several different doctors from various specialties, particularly with specialized care that includes a multimodal approach. It is important to know and understand the different types of specialists who will be overseeing your care.
Oncology is the term used to refer to the medicine of cancer care. Most of the doctors who treat pleural mesothelioma are oncologists who elect a subspecialty, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Some of the doctors you can expect to see include:

• Medical Oncologists

  Overseeing Your Care

• Surgical Oncologist

  Learn about Surgical Options

• Radiation Oncologists

  Is Radiation Right for You?

A medical oncologist specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer. These doctors can guide you through treatment, and also offer chemotherapy to slow the growth and spread of your cancer. Your medical oncologist may offer treatments, make referrals to other doctors, arrange tests, communicate with surgeons and radiologists, and manage your case. They will prescribe chemotherapy regimens, selecting which drugs will work best for you, such as the combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin. Medical oncologists may also oversee the use of targeted therapies, such as immunotherapy drugs, and refer you to a palliative care doctor for pain medication.

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Mesothelioma: A Truly Rare Cancer

Pleural mesothelioma accounts for the majority of all mesothelioma cases, but it’s not as common as any of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the United States. In fact, the numbers are hardly comparable.
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Overall Cancer Diagnosis

About 1.6 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer annually. Out of all of these cases, about 235,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer; 233,000 are diagnosed with prostate cancer; and 224,000 are diagnosed with lung cancer.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Women's vs Men's Diagnosis

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Top Doctors

We have built relationships with many of the leading pleural mesothelioma specialists in the country to give you access to the best care available. Several specialists are located in major metropolitan areas of the Northeast United States, including Boston, Philadelphia and New York. Others are scattered across the country, too.

The top pleural mesothelioma specialists include:

• 1

  Boston

• 2

  Houston

• 3

  Pittsburgh

• 4

  New York

• 5

  Los Angeles

• 6

  Tampa

• 7

  Celebration

Boston

Abraham Lebenthal, M.D.
Surgeon, Boston VA Healthcare

Dr. Lebenthal is Israeli-board certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery. He is a veteran of the Israeli Army, where he served as a physician and commanded an infantry platoon. He advocates minimally invasive surgery to speed up the recovery time for patients, as well as tailored treatment options for each patient.