MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030
The MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston is known for turning its groundbreaking research into innovative clinical care.
About the MD Anderson Cancer Center
U.S. News & World Report in 2018 named MD Anderson the No. 1 Cancer Care Hospital in America for the fourth consecutive year, setting a new high for health care excellence.
The mesothelioma program includes more than 30 doctors, from various disciplines, with expertise in this rare and aggressive cancer.
They include medical oncologists, pathologists, pulmonologists, surgeons and radiation oncologists, all focused on patients with mesothelioma.
The mesothelioma research team today is pioneering more precise diagnostics, better use of radiation therapy, and novel tumor targets to utilize the burgeoning potential of immunotherapy.
As an example of the research excellence at MD Anderson, Jim Allison, director of immunology, was awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work in advancing the use of immunotherapy in cancer care.
He was the first MD Anderson scientist to receive the world’s most prestigious award for outstanding discoveries in medicine.
Doctors in This Hospital
- Dr. Anne Tsao, Medical Oncologist
- Dr. David Rice, Thoracic Surgeon
- Dr. George Simon, Medical Oncologist
- Dr. Ritsuko Komaki, Radiation Oncologist
International Leader in Clinical Trials
In the ongoing quest for advancing cancer care, MD Anderson also is an international leader in clinical trials that offer the most up-to-date, still-under-review, options.
The center is in the recruiting, or active-and-not-recruiting stage of 15 different clinical trials involving mesothelioma.
As one of the largest cancer centers in the world, MD Anderson prides itself on providing expert care, regardless of the diagnosis.
A Comprehensive Team of Doctors
The depth of experience is extensive. The center has been in the cancer care business since 1941 as part of the University of Texas
- Medical oncologist Dr. Anne Tsao is the director of the Mesothelioma Program at MD Anderson. She also is a professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology division.
- Thoracic surgeon Dr. David Rice has been a professor in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Anderson since 2001. He performs the extrapleural pneumonectomy and the pleurectomy and decortication surgery for mesothelioma patients.
- Dr. Ritsuko Komaki is a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson and part of the mesothelioma program. She also works extensively with lung cancer patients.
The National Cancer Institute has awarded 12 Specialized Programs of Research Excellence grants to MD Anderson, which leads the country in NCI-funded projects for cancer.
Often, those lead to new, innovative treatments for rare and difficult tumors such as mesothelioma.
These latest mesothelioma treatments advances that are working their way through clinical trials often are available at MD Anderson well before they become standard of care at other facilities.
