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If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is ready to help. Our experienced team of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who treat mesothelioma is dedicated to providing the highest-quality treatment and care. Our patients also have access to innovative therapies through our program of clinical trials.

In this section, you will find up-to-date information about our experience treating patients with mesothelioma, our services, and our research.

  • Our Approach & Expertise
    At Memorial Sloan-Kettering, we have assembled a team of specialists -- including surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, and basic scientists -- who are committed to providing the best possible treatments for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
  • Our Team of Experts
    At Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, we have a large, interdisciplinary team of surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, and nurses who deal exclusively with mesothelioma and other thoracic cancers.
  • Overview
    Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the tissue that lines the body's internal organs. About 2,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the US.
  • Risk Factors
    The major risk factor for mesothelioma is occupational exposure to asbestos. About 70 to 80 percent of patients with mesothelioma have a documented exposure to asbestos on the job.
  • Symptoms
    The main symptom of pleural mesothelioma is shortness of breath caused by pleural effusion -- the buildup of fluid in the pleura, or membrane, surrounding the lung. The second most common symptom is chest pain due to the tumor invading the chest wall. Other symptoms may include weight loss, fatigue, and night sweats.
  • Diagnosis & Staging
    Diagnosing mesothelioma may be difficult because fluid that is removed from the chest or abdomen of patients with the disease often does not contain cancer cells. A definitive diagnosis and staging of the cancer typically requires a tissue biopsy.
  • Treatment
    At Memorial Sloan-Kettering, our team of mesothelioma experts makes treatment recommendations on an individual basis, taking into account the stage of the cancer, the patient's general health, and, for patients with pleural mesothelioma, how well the lungs function. Patients who are otherwise in overall good health and who have early-stage mesothelioma may be treated with chemotherapy, followed by surgery and radiation.
  • Our Clinical Trials
    A continually updated listing of Memorial Sloan-Kettering's current clinical trials for mesothelioma.
  • Follow-Up Care & Support
    We regularly and closely monitor current and former patients with mesothelioma for changes in the status of their disease.

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