English
Español
Lung Cancer Clinic
Each year more than 200,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer. However, despite the serious nature of lung cancer, the prognosis for beating it is much better than it was even five years ago, thanks to early detection efforts and new treatment strategies.
Esophageal Cancer Clinic
Esophageal cancer accounts for more than 16,000 new cases each year. Thanks to improved treatments and early intervention, the survival rates for esophageal cancer have improved greatly since the 1960s when only a small percentage of people with the disease survived more than five years.
Mesothelioma Clinic
Most mesotheliomas begin in the chest cavity. Though fairly rare, there are still about 2,000 to 3,000 new cases each year, primarily in men over 65. Early detection and intervention by doctors at the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute's thoracic program is essential in treating the disease.
Lung Nodule Clinic
The presence of lung nodules does not automatically signal that you have cancer. Benign nodules can actually be quite common. To ensure that the nodules aren't cancerous, doctors at FHCI will monitor changes in size, shape or appearance through regular tests.
Uncommon Malignancies Clinic
Rare forms of cancer include carcinoid tumors, mediastinal tumors and thymoma. Each of these presents unique challenges that doctors at the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute address with a broad range of traditional and leading edge treatment strategies.
Who We Are
Jose Nieto, DO
Learn more about the role of the gastroenterologist in the treatment of thoracic cancer.
Sigfredo Aldarondo, MD
Learn more about the role of the pulmonologist in the treatment of thoracic cancer.
Joseph Boyer, MD
Learn more about the role of the thoracic surgeon in the treatment of thoracic cancer.
Treating Mesothelioma
Printer-friendly version
Send to friendThe exact course of treatment for mesothelioma depends largely on the type and stage of the disease. The highly trained and experienced members of the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute (FHCI) will look at your unique situation and develop a treatment plan that offers you the most positive outcome possible. Often, more than one type of treatment needs to be used to tackle the disease.
Surgery
The surgical team at the FHCI will review options with you before proceeding. If surgery is necessary, the following procedures may be utilized:
- Wide local excision: This is a general procedure where the cancer and some of the healthy tissue surrounding it is removed.
- Pleurectomy and decortication: Part of the lining covering the chest and lungs are removed along with the outer surface of the lungs.
- Extrapleural pneumonectomy: One whole lung is removed along with part of the lining of the chest, the diaphragm and the lining of the sac around the heart.
- Pleurodesis: During the procedure, fluid is drained from the space between the layers of the pleura using a catheter or chest tube. A chemical or drug is added into the space to create scarring, which stops the build-up of fluid in the pleural cavity.
Even if all the cancer that can be identified is removed during surgery, you may also need to have chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancerous cells that remain.
Seeking Mesothelioma treatment? Contact us now to schedule an appointment with Florida Hospital Cancer Institute.
Radiation Therapy
Delivered by experienced board-certified oncologists, the FHCI utilizes some of the most sophisticated radiation therapy technologies available in the field of medicine.
Some of the radiation therapies available to patients with mesothelioma include:
- Trilogy: A state-of-the-art Image Guided Radiation Therapy, Trilogy is an all-in-one machine that provides the radiation oncologist with a full spectrum of treatment tools. Trilogy can even factor in variables such as the tumor’s location as it changes several centimeters as you breathe. It can also log the location of the tumor to see if it has moved between treatments.
- Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT): The most advanced form of radiation therapy available today, IGRT allows doctors to precisely locate and visualize the tumor before each dose is administered. Radiographic, fluoroscopic and cone beam CT images are continuously updated to ensure that the dosage is optimal and to minimize the damage to surrounding tissue.
- Stereriotactic Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy: Allowing extremely precise alignment of the tumor and radiation dose, this therapy allows higher doses to be administered, resulting in fewer visits than traditional treatment regimens.
- External Beam Radiation Therapy: An external source of radiation delivers a high dose to a very specific target area without damaging tissue nearby.
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT): Combining a high level of patient comfort with fewer doses and side effects, IMRT is a highly accurate radiation instrument that spares normal tissue while allowing optimal dose distributions.
- Three-dimensional Simulation and Treatment Planning: Computerized planning using 3D imaging allows the medical team planning your treatment to clearly visualize the target area and critical structures.
- Multi-modality Image Fusion: Anatomical data from different imaging modalities (CT, MRI, PET) are electronically incorporated into the planning technique so specialists have access to more data than if they used just a single imaging source.
Seeking Mesothelioma treatment? Contact us now to schedule an appointment with Florida Hospital Cancer Institute.
Chemotherapy
Using drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing them or stopping them from dividing, chemotherapy is often used in concert with surgery or radiation to eradicate remaining cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be administered orally or injected into the veins, depending on the location of the cancer and the desired outcome. When more than one anticancer drug is used, it is known as combination chemotherapy. The effectiveness of chemotherapy in treating mesothelioma depends largely on the location and staging of the disease. Physicians at the FHCI will review your options with you before any treatment plan is put into effect and will be happy to answer all your questions and concerns regarding chemotherapy and mesothelioma.
Seeking Mesothelioma treatment? Contact us now to schedule an appointment with Florida Hospital Cancer Institute.
New Advances In Mesothilioma Medicine
One the premier research facilities in the country, the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute is fortunate to have access to the latest clinical trials. Clinical trials are promising new therapies, technologies and treatments that are coming out of some of the most respected research labs in the U.S. and abroad. Most of clinical trials offer our patients potential advances that won’t be available to the general public for years to come.
As a patient at the FHCI, you could become a candidate for a mesothelioma clinical trial. Your physcian will be happy to discuss options with you and answer all your questions.
New mesothelioma clinical trials offer you the following benefits:
- Being among the first to possibly benefit from new medical advances coming out of some of the best research labs in the world.
- Access to state-of-the-art treatments, technologies or therapies.
- Dedicated attention from a research nurse who will be assigned to you throughout your treatment, follow-ups and care associated with your clinical trial.
- Making a contribution to research efforts to find more effective ways of detecting, diagnosing and treating mesothelioma.
The institute works very closely with leading research organizations throughout the U.S., including the National Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, the UCLA Community Oncology Research Network and many highly respected pharmaceutical companies to conduct these groundbreaking clinical trials.
Current Mesothelioma Clinical Trails at Florida Hospital Cancer Institute
