Dr. Paul Sugarbaker
Lead Surgical Oncologist and Specialist at Sugarbaker Oncology Associates
Paul Sugarbaker was a top surgeon for peritoneal mesothelioma. He developed the Sugarbaker Procedure, also called the HIPEC surgery. He stopped accepting new mesothelioma patients for surgery at the end of 2020. He still performs limited follow-ups with existing patients.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma (retired)
Sugarbaker Oncology Associates
3629 Fulton St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20007
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More About Mesothelioma Specialist Dr. Paul Sugarbaker
Dr. Paul Sugarbaker is the head of Sugarbaker Oncology Associates. He was the director of the Center for Surgical Oncology at the Washington Cancer Institute. This facility is part of the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., where he was the leading surgeon treating patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.
He no longer accepts new patients but still helps his existing ones with limited follow-ups. He will continue to be active in research.
As the son of a doctor, Dr. Sugarbaker was groomed to become one himself. He was brother to the late David Sugarbaker, a pleural mesothelioma surgeon. This brother duo pushed the limits of treating mesothelioma.
In the 1980s, Dr. Paul Sugarbaker fought to develop his signature treatment method, known now as the Sugarbaker Procedure. It combines cytoreductive surgery and heated chemotherapy. The heated chemotherapy is known by the acronym HIPEC. It delivers heated chemotherapy medication into the abdomen.
Medical Degrees and Residencies
- Medical Degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York, 1967
- Residency in general surgery at Peter Bent Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 1967-1974
Certifications and Memberships
- Founding member of the International Society of Regional Cancer Therapy
- Founded the nonprofit Foundation for Applied Research in Gastrointestinal Oncology
Dr. Sugarbaker’s Treatment Plan
The Sugarbaker Procedure is named after Dr. Sugarbaker in honor of his experience in and influence on the treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma. This cancer is especially harmful because of how hard it is to catch in the early stages.
Many high-volume facilities have a median survival of 5-6 years after complete cytoreductive surgery. Recurrence also reduces thanks to the Sugarbaker Procedure, largely due to implementing HIPEC for microscopic tumors.
The Steps of the Sugarbaker Procedure
- Cytoreduction — Once the patient is put under, an incision is made in the center of the abdomen to provide access to the cancerous region of the abdomen. Doctors remove the omentum plus some organs, such as the spleen. Doctors may also remove part or all of the peritoneal lining, a procedure called a peritonectomy.
- HIPEC (Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) — After the cancerous material is removed from the abdomen, the next step is sending heated chemotherapy drugs into the abdomen. This part of the procedure takes 60-90 minutes and aims to eliminate microscopic mesothelioma cells left behind. The purpose is to prevent recurrence.
This process is tedious and takes up to 10 hours to complete. Cytoreduction is a complicated procedure because it involves examining all the organs in the abdomen for tumors.
Adding NIPEC to Treatment
Since its inception, the Sugarbaker Procedure has evolved with adjuvant steps. Dr. Sugarbaker is a proponent of NIPEC, a type of mesothelioma chemotherapy. Normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a dwell chemotherapy. It occurs weeks or months after the surgery and initial HIPEC. The drugs sit in the abdomen for up to 24 hours.
Dr. Sugarbaker reported a 75% five-year survival rate for select patients undergoing cytoreduction, HIPEC and NIPEC.
“Dwell chemotherapy is very important long-term,” he said in an interview with Mesothelioma Guide. “I’ve used HIPEC several thousand times. I’m aware HIPEC has some huge shortcomings. Number one, it’s only used once. It’s just a single treatment. That’s not the way drugs work. … It’s unlikely that a single dose of cancer chemotherapy will give you a durable response.”
Patient Experience
Many peritoneal mesothelioma patients credit Dr. Sugarbaker with the success of their treatment.
Peritoneal mesothelioma survivor Alexis Kidd is a testament to the Sugarbaker Procedure. She had a life-saving cytoreduction with HIPEC overseen by Dr. Sugarbaker back in 2009.
“Even though I have never met Dr. Sugarbaker in person, and may never have the opportunity to do so, he has had a profound and lasting impact on my life. I have benefited not only from his research and refinement of the HIPEC procedure, but also his willingness to share his findings with other doctors.
His willingness to work with my oncologist and surgeons half the country away gave me a fighting chance against my unusual progression of mesothelioma. Without him and his work, there would have been little hope for me. Now there is all of the hope in the world.”
Sources & Author
- Normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy long term (NIPEC-LT) in the management of peritoneal surface malignancy, an overview. Pleura and Peritoneum. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6405030/. Accessed: 07/28/2021.
- Unusually Favorable Outcome of 6 Consecutive Patients With Diffuse Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma Treated With Repeated Doses of Intraperitoneal Paclitaxel. A Case Series. Surgical Oncology. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32561104/. Accessed: 06/22/2020.
AI Summary of Dr. Paul Sugarbaker
Dr. Paul Sugarbaker is a highly respected surgical oncologist specializing in the treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma. He played a significant role in developing a groundbreaking procedure known as the Sugarbaker Procedure, also called HIPEC surgery, which combines surgical removal of tumors with heated chemotherapy administered directly into the abdomen. Although he retired from accepting new mesothelioma patients in late 2020, he continues to provide limited follow-up care for his existing patients and remains active in mesothelioma research. His work has greatly influenced the field and offered new hope to individuals diagnosed with this challenging cancer.
Dr. Sugarbaker’s background includes a medical degree from Cornell University Medical College and extensive residency training in general surgery at the Peter Bent Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Throughout his career, he has held influential positions, such as leading the Center for Surgical Oncology at the Washington Cancer Institute. His dedication to advancing treatment options has been reflected in his involvement with various organizations, including being a founding member of the International Society of Regional Cancer Therapy. His approach to treating mesothelioma emphasizes thorough surgical removal of cancerous tissue followed by heated chemotherapy to target microscopic cancer cells, significantly reducing the chance of recurrence.
The core of Dr. Sugarbaker’s treatment strategy is a complex but effective process. It begins with cytoreductive surgery, where surgeons access the abdomen to remove visible tumors and potentially affected organs. This is followed by the delivery of heated chemotherapy into the abdomen, known as HIPEC, which is designed to eliminate remaining cancer cells. In recent years, he has also promoted additional treatments such as NIPEC, a type of long-term or dwell chemotherapy, which is administered weeks or months after the initial surgery. Many studies show that patients undergoing this comprehensive approach can experience five-year survival rates of around 75%, offering hope for long-term control of the disease.
Many patients who have undergone Dr. Sugarbaker’s procedures emphasize the profound difference his innovative approach has made in their lives. For example, a survivor of peritoneal mesothelioma expressed gratitude for his research and for the life-saving treatment she received. Although he no longer sees new patients, his contributions have left a lasting impact on mesothelioma treatment and continue to influence new methods of care. His work exemplifies a dedicated, research-driven approach aimed at improving outcomes for individuals facing this difficult diagnosis, always prioritizing patient well-being and long-term hope.