New Information about Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering

Most oncologists see very few people with mesothelioma, a relatively rare cancer. The illness originates in a membrane called the mesothelium, which forms a lining that protects many of the body’s internal organs. It has been linked to exposure to asbestos once commonly used in building materials and is diagnosed in just 2,000 to 3,000 people in the United States each year.

As a hospital with one of the nation’s largest volumes of patients with mesothelioma, Memorial Sloan-Kettering offers a unique breadth of understanding and experience in diagnosing and treating the disease.

In our newly updated guide to mesothelioma you can learn about improvements in treatments and supportive care that have dramatically lengthened and improved the quality of life for patients over the past few decades.

High Volume and Advanced Care
Our surgeons have been leaders in establishing surgical approaches used to treat pleural mesothelioma, a common subtype of the disease that forms in the pleura, the sac that protects the lungs. Pleural mesothelioma can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and pain in the chest area.

We oversee a vast patient database — the world’s largest — that generates information helpful to physicians in selecting not only who is a good candidate for surgery, but which type of operation will be most effective.

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Source: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center