Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

More About Mesothelioma Treatment at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that forms in the lining of the lungs and abdominal cavity. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is an emerging hospital for mesothelioma treatment.

The focus is pleural mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the lining near the lungs. Tumors in this lining can multiply and spread toward the lungs, which may require surgery. Roswell Park’s treatment team includes multiple thoracic surgeons who treat pleural mesothelioma, which forms in the lining of the lungs. The cancer center is an affiliate of the University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center also has doctors who treat peritoneal mesothelioma, which forms in the lining of the abdominal cavity.

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated institution.

Experienced Mesothelioma Specialists

• Dr. Sai Yendamuri, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Director of the Thoracic Surgery Laboratory
• Dr. Grace Dy, Chief of Thoracic Oncology
• Dr. Elisabeth Dexter, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Todd Demmy, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Amber Duda, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Chukwumere Nwogu, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. K. Patrick Seastedt, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. David Wormuth, thoracic surgeon at St. Joseph’s Health location
• Dr. Michael Parish, thoracic surgeon at St. Joseph’s Health location
• Dr. Madeline McMorrow, thoracic surgeon at Niagara Falls Blvd location
• Dr. Nadia Malik, Director of Thoracic Radiation Services
• Karen Pfentner, nurse practitioner
• Michelle Sabia, nurse practitioner
• Jamie Kerner, nurse practitioner

Affiliations

• Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (University of Buffalo)
• Ellis Hospital

Treatment Specialties

• Pleurectomy/decortication surgery
• Extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery
• Cytoreductive/HIPEC surgery
• Hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy
• Systemic chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy

Get Connected to Roswell Park Cancer Center

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center welcomes patients with both pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. The center offers heated intraoperative chemotherapy treatment for both types. An experienced surgical staff can improve patient survival despite the aggressive nature of this cancer.

Why Choose Roswell Park?

• Multimodal treatment plans for patients
• Experienced surgeons and oncologists
• Clinical trials for novel therapies

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Advanced Surgery for Pleural Mesothelioma and Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Roswell Park features several surgeons involved in pleural mesothelioma cases. A few of them are:

• Dr. Sai Yendamuri, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Director of the Thoracic Surgery Laboratory
• Dr. Todd Demmy, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Elisabeth Dexter, thoracic surgeon
• Dr. Grace Dy, Chief of Thoracic Oncology
• Dr. Nadia Malik, Director of Thoracic Radiation Services

HIPEC Program Leads to Innovation

Dr. John Kane III developed the hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) program in 2002. This therapy is a cornerstone option for peritoneal malignancies.

Roswell Park is one of just a few New York cancer centers offering cytoreduction and HIPEC surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma. Dr. Kane’s efforts led to Roswell Park’s thoracic team beginning to use intrathoracic chemotherapy for pleural mesothelioma surgery cases.

Hospital Ranking

• Not listed in the U.S. News & World Report 2025-2026 Hospitals Honor Roll
• Ranked 30th for general cancer care/treatment
• Listed as high performing for lung cancer surgery

Clinical Trials for Mesothelioma at Roswell Park

In addition to his role as Chair of the Department of Surgery, Dr. Yendamuri is the principal investigator in a clinical trial using photodynamic therapy for mesothelioma. This method of novel therapy uses a light-sensitive therapy to expose and kill mesothelioma cells – before or after surgery.

Roswell Park has hosted some completed trials, including a vaccine therapy for stage 1 and stage 2 mesothelioma cases. The idea was to supply patients’ immune systems with a vaccine to withstand recurrence and kill any remaining tiny tumors after mesothelioma surgery.

Going to Roswell Park for Mesothelioma Care

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center provides empathetic and personalized care for mesothelioma patients and loved ones who seek treatment at the hospital. The team includes thoracic surgeons and medical oncologists for a multimodal approach involving surgery, chemotherapy and clinical trials.

Mesothelioma Guide has patient advocates who can lend a hand in scheduling your first meeting with Roswell Park doctors. Email Karen Ritter, our registered nurse, at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com with your questions about mesothelioma cancer centers.

Sources & Author

1. Mesothelioma Care Team. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/cancer/mesothelioma/team. Accessed: 07/28/2026.
2. Mesothelioma Treatment. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/cancer/mesothelioma/treatment. Accessed: 07/28/2026.
3. Sai Yendamuri, MD, FACS. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/sai-yendamuri. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
4. Nadia Malik, MD. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/nadia-malik. Accessed: 05/18/2023.
5. Grace Dy, MD. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/grace-dy. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
6. Hongbin Chen, MD, PhD. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/hongbin-chen. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
7. Todd Demmy, MD, FACS. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/todd-demmy. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
8. Tallat Mahmood, MD. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Retrieved from: https://www.roswellpark.org/tallat-mahmood. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
9. Light Dosimetry for Photodynamic Therapy With Porfimer Sodium in Treating Participants With Malignant Mesothelioma or Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With Pleural Disease Undergoing Surgery. Clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03678350. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
10. Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage I, Stage II, or Stage IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer or With Stage I or Stage II Mesothelioma. Clinicaltrials.gov. Retrieved from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00003974. Accessed: 03/17/2022.
11. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from: https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/ny/roswell-park-cancer-institute-6211120. Accessed: 08/11/2025.

About the Writer, Karen Ritter, RN BSN

Karen Ritter, a registered nurse, is the lead patient advocate for Mesothelioma Guide. She has a deep passion for patient care, which includes helping patients and their families search for treatment options at the top mesothelioma cancer centers. She finds the balance between encouraging patients to receive the best treatment possible while enjoying their time with loved ones and friends. Karen is a valuable asset for patients due to her knowledge of mesothelioma, compassion for the victims of this disease and dedication to guiding patients through their treatment journey.