Johns Hopkins Medicine

More About Mesothelioma Treatment at Johns Hopkins Medicine

Mesothelioma treatment at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center falls within the lung cancer program’s Thoracic Center of Excellence. This center is located at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center location.

The Johns Hopkins Medicine website states surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are the multimodal components used for mesothelioma treatment.

Dr. Patrick Forde is the Director of Thoracic Oncology Clinical Research. He is one of the mesothelioma specialists at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Forde’s focus is on leading clinical trials for mesothelioma, such as phase 2 and phase 3 studies using immunotherapy for this cancer.

Dr. Julie Brahmer, another mesothelioma doctor, is Director of Thoracic Oncology. She is one of the doctors who mesothelioma patients will meet with regularly. Dr. Richard Battafarano, the Regional Director of Thoracic Surgery, is the primary surgeon for pleural mesothelioma.

While pleural mesothelioma is the focus, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center also treats peritoneal mesothelioma. Dr. Fabian Johnston is the peritoneal mesothelioma specialist and HIPEC expert for the cancer center.

Experienced Mesothelioma Specialists

• Dr. Patrick Forde, Director of Thoracic Oncology Clinical Research Program
• Dr. Julie Brahmer, Director of Thoracic Oncology Program
• Dr. Peter Illei, Associate Professor of Pathology
• Dr. Richard Battafarano, Regional Director of General Thoracic Surgery
• Dr. Fabian Johnston, Chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology
• Peggy Lang, early stage nurse navigator
• Kerry Zimmerman, late-stage nurse navigator

Affiliations

• Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
• Sibley Memorial Hospital
• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Treatment Specialties

• Extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery
• HIPEC/cytoreduction surgery (peritoneal mesothelioma)
• Systemic chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Clinical trials

Connect to Johns Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins Medicine is one of the top-ranked hospitals for cancer treatment in the United States. The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center features a team of mesothelioma experts for patient care, including highly qualified surgeons and oncologists.

Why Choose Johns Hopkins?

• Host site for immunotherapy clinical trials
• Top ranking among prestigious cancer centers
• Surgery an option for both types of mesothelioma

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Use of Cutting-Edge Therapies for Mesothelioma

Johns Hopkins’ Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center hosted an exciting mesothelioma clinical trial. The study featured the immunotherapy drug durvalumab with chemotherapy drugs pemetrexed and cisplatin. The combination led to a median survival of 20.4 months. For patients with the epithelioid cell type, the median survival was two years (24 months).

This study, called the PrE0505 study, was deemed a massive success in determining if immunotherapy and chemotherapy could work together as a multimodal mesothelioma treatment. It also proved durvalumab can help extend the lives of mesothelioma patients.

Johns Hopkins Hospital is one of the cancer institutions utilizing robotics for minimally invasive surgery. This type of method is key for thoracic surgery, but it is limited to biopsy procedures for mesothelioma.

Hospital Ranking

• Ranked 5th in the U.S. News & World Report 2022-2023 Hospitals Honor Roll
• Ranked 13th for cancer treatment in general
• Ranked 10th for gastrointestinal cancer surgery (peritoneal mesothelioma)
• Ranked 7th for lung cancer surgery (pleural mesothelioma)
• Ranked 1st in the state of Maryland

Visit Johns Hopkins Hospital for Mesothelioma Care

Reach out to our patient advocate team for assistance in choosing a cancer center. If you live in the mid-Atlantic or northeast region, you may be able to travel to Baltimore, Maryland, easily.  Our registered nurse and patient advocate, Karen Ritter, can help you find the best options for your specific needs. You can contact her directly at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com.

If you live outside these regions, you have options. Our patient advocates can look into grants to help cover some costs of traveling to an out-of-area medical center. You also may find a mesothelioma cancer center close to where you reside. Your priorities in choosing a hospital are:

• Trained and experienced mesothelioma specialists
• Wide variety of treatment options and testing of new therapies

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine fits these two criteria. We can help you connect with the Johns Hopkins team or find another cancer center fitting your needs.

Sources & Author

1. Lung Cancer Types. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/lung-cancer/lung-cancer-types. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
2. Patrick Forde, M.B.B.Ch. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/patrick-forde. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
3. Julie Renee Brahmer, M.D. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/julie-brahmer. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
4. Peter Bella Illei, M.D. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/peter-illei. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
5. Richard James Battafarano, M.D., Ph.D. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/richard-battafarano. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
6. A Thoracic Center of Excellence. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/cancers_we_treat/lung_cancer_program/_docs/Thoracic.pdf. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
7. HIPEC Surgery: What You Need to Know. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/hipec-surgery-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
8. Comprehensive Thoracic Surgery. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/surgery/specialty-areas/thoracic-surgery/. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
9. Immunotherapy-Chemotherapy Treatment Coupled with In-Depth Genomic Analyses Leads to Improved Survival for Patients with Mesothelioma. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/immunotherapy-chemotherapy-treatment-coupled-with-in-depth-genomic-analyses-leads-to-improved-survival-for-patients-with-mesothelioma. Accessed: 04/07/2022.
10. Johns Hopkins Hospital. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from: https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/md/johns-hopkins-hospital-6320180. Accessed: 04/07/2022.

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.