Treating Physicians

Dr. H. Richard Alexander, Jr. Baltimore, Maryland
Dr. Robert Cameron Los Angeles, California
Dr. Alexander Farivar Seattle, Washington
Dr. David Jablons San Francisco, California
Dr. Larry Kaiser Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dr. Brian Loggie Omaha, Nebraska
Dr. Harvey Pass New York, New York
Dr. Lary A. Robinson Tampa, Florida
Dr. Valerie Rusch New York, New York
Dr. W. Roy Smythe Temple, Texas
Dr. David Sugarbaker Boston, Massachusetts
Dr. Paul Sugarbaker Washington, D.C.
Dr. Robert Taub New York, New York
Dr. Eric Vallieres Seattle, Washington
Dr. Claire Verschraegen Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dr. Nicholas Vogelzang Las Vegas, Nevada

Dr. H. Richard Alexander Jr. - Baltimore, Maryland
  • Dr. Alexander is an internationally recognized cancer surgeon and surgical oncologist at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center. He is also the associate chairman for clinical research in the University of Maryland Department of Surgery. His research interests include perfusion techniques to treat patients with advanced cancers of the limb, liver, and peritoneal cavity. Dr. Alexander was formally the deputy director of the NCI's Center for Cancer Research.

    University of Maryland Medical Center
    Greenebaum Cancer Center
    22 S. Greene Street
    Baltimore, MD 21201
    Phone: 410.605.7233 (VA Baltimore)
    email: HRAlexander@smail.umaryland.edu

    Baltimore VA Medical Center
    10 North Greene Street
    Baltimore, MD 21201
    (410) 605-7000
    800-463-6295
    http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/hr_alexander.html
Dr. Robert Cameron Dr. Robert Cameron - Los Angeles, California
  • Dr. Cameron is a surgical oncologist with expertise in treating mesothelioma patients at the UCLA Medical School.
  • Dr. Robert Cameron is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Pacific Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute (PHLBI, www.phlbi.org). Dr. Cameron has been at the forefront of developing innovative therapies for extending the lives of mesothelioma patients. Dr. Cameron's research plan for PHLBI includes programs involving Immunotherapy and Screening/Early Detection/Prevention. Dr. Cameron's research plan also includes investigation into much-needed administrative improvements in medical care which will provide patients with additional knowledge, security, and control regarding their treatment. Click here to see the details of Dr. Cameron's research plan.
  • 11818 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200
    Los Angeles, California 90025
    Phone: 310.794.7333 or 310.231.2130
    email: rcameron@mednet.ucla.edu.
  • "Improved Survival with Interferon Alpha Maintenance Therapy Following pleurectomy / decortication and Radiation for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma," as presented by Dr. Robert Cameron to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, January 30, 2006.
  • EPP vs P/D: The Great Debate. Dr. Cameron favors the Pleurectormy/Decortication (10/29/06)
  • Anatomy of a Successful P/D (photos). Dr. Robert Cameron, September 13, 2005
  • "Rational Versus Radical Therapy For Mesothelioma: A New Approach," Dr. Robert Cameron, UCLA Medical School, presented at MARF Symposium in Las Vegas, October 16, 2004. Copyright of Dr. Robert Cameron. Do not copy without permission (11/18/04)
  • UCLA Proposes Comprehensive Mesothelioma Translational Research Program (5/10/04)

Dr. Alexander Farivar - Seattle, Washington

  • Dr. Farivar is the Director of Pleural Disease at the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle. He has expertise in Esophageal and Thoracic Surgery at the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle.
  • Swedish Cancer Institute
    1221 Madison Street suite 400
    Seattle, WA 98104
    Phone: 206.215.6800
  • For more, click here.
no photo available Dr. David Jablons - San Francisco, California
Dr. Larry Kaiser Dr. Larry Kaiser - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dr. Brian Loggie Dr. Brian Loggie - Omaha, Nebraska
Dr. Harvey Pass Dr. Harvey Pass - New York, New York
  • Dr. Harvey Pass is Professor and Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at the New York University School of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Pass has studied pleural mesothelioma since 1988 when he was the Head of Thoracic Oncology and Senior Investigator of the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda. Dr. Pass combines cytoreductive surgery, either EPP or pleurectomy, with innovative or standard adjuvant therapies including novel antiangiogenesis inhibitors postoperatively or chemotherapy combinations. His Thoracic Oncology laboratory is pursuing the study of proteins (proteomics) and gene expression profiles in mesothelioma to develop new early detection strategies, as well as designing alternate innovative treatments which use novel proteins as targets for mesothelioma. More...
  • Curriculum Vitae (resume), Dr. Harvey Pass. March 26, 2003
  • Dr. Pass is the Chairman of the Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).
  • Professor and Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology
    Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
    NYU School of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center
    530 1st Avenue, 9V
    New York, New York 10016
    Phone: 212.263.7417
    email: passh01@med.nyu.edu
  • Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Surgical Roles and Novel Therapies, preface by RGW (2/7/02)
  • Photo Dynamic Therapy, Surgery by Dr. Harvey Pass and Chemotherapy Help 35 Year Old's Battle Against Mesothelioma
  • Preoperative Tumor Volume is Associated With Outcome in MM, (2/8/98)
  • Update on Dr. Harvey Pass' Research: (10/6/97)
Dr. Lary Robinson Dr. Lary A. Robinson - Tampa, Florida
  • Dr. Robinson is a thoracic surgical oncologist with expertise in treating mesothelioma patients.
  • Dr. Robinson is on the Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).
    H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
    12902 Magnolia Drive
    Tampa, Florida 33612-9497
    Phone: 813.979.3050
    email: robinson@moffitt.usf.edu.
    http://www.moffitt.usf.edu
  • Thoracic Surgeon, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
no photo available Dr. Valerie Rusch - New York, New York
  • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
    1275 York Avenue
    New York, NY  10021
    Phone: 212.639.5873
    email: ruschv@mskcc.org
  • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.  http://www.mskcc.org
Dr. W. Roy Smythe Dr. W. Roy Smythe - Temple, Texas
  • Dr. W. Roy Smythe is involved in the surgical diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma patients. He has designed a pilot protocol at M. D. Anderson for malignant pleural mesothelioma involving aggressive surgical therapy followed by intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). In the laboratory, he was involved in the initial research work evaluating gene therapy for this disease in the mid 1990's at the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently evaluating a number of novel gene therapy and molecular approaches to the treatment of this disease, and hopes to bring one or more of these to the clinic in the next year.
  • Curriculum Vitae (resume), Dr. W.Roy Smythe. October 16, 2001
  • Dr. Smythe is on the Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).
  • Preclinical Data of Introgen's INGN 241 Demonstrate Broad Anti-Cancer Activity In Multiple Tumor Types as Monotherapy and in Combination; Update on Gene Therapy Research at MDA under Dr. Roy Smythe (6/14/01)
  • Dr. W. Roy Smythe
    Professor & Chairman
    Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center
    Scott & White Hospital and Clinic
    Department of Surgery
    2401 South 31st Street
    Temple, TX 76501
    Phone: 254.724.2595
    Fax: 254.724.2786
    email: rsmythe@swmail.sw.org
Dr. David Sugarbaker Dr. David Sugarbaker - Boston, Massachusetts
  • Dr. Sugarbaker is a surgical oncologist with expertise in treating mesothelioma patients. Dr. Sugarbaker has pioneered the "tri-modal" therapy approach.
    Brigham & Womens Hospital
    75 Francis Street, Boston
    Massachusetts 02115
    Phone: 617.732.6824
    email: djsugarbak@bic.bwh.havard.edu.
  • Summary of Dr. Sugarbaker's Results Using Tri-Modal Therapy on 183 Patients from 1980 to 1997.
  • Multimodality Management of MM: Dr. David Sugarbaker, January 1999
  • Current Therapy for Mesothelioma, Sugarbaker et al, 1997
    The Division of Thoracic Surgery at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston Massachusetts provides diagnostic and treatment services to patients with benign and malignant neoplasms and other disorders of the lung, esophagus, mediastinum and chest wall. Their website provides complete review of services available, how to set up an appointment, whom to call, and how to prepare for surgery and rehabilitate afterwards. Check it out. http://www.chestsurg.org
no photo available Dr. Paul Sugarbaker - Washingon , D. C.
  • Sugarbaker Oncology Associates, P.C.
    110 Irving St., NW
    Washington, DC  20010
    Phone: 202.877.3908
    email: n/a
  • Sugarbaker Oncology Associates, Washington Cancer Institute, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C. "We specialize in the surgical treatment of cancers that arise in the gastrointestinal tract, such as abdominal (Peritoneal) mesotheliomas."
Dr. Robert Taub Dr. Robertt Taub - New York, New York
  • Dr. Taub is a medical oncologist who directs the Connective Tissue Oncology Program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, where there are a number of ongoing multimodality studies of patients with pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.
  • Dr. Taub is on the Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).
    Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
    161 Fort Washington Avenue
    New York, New York 10032
    Phone: 212.305.4076
    email: rnt1@columbia.edu
  • Phase II Trial of Combined Resection, Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy, and Whole Abdominal Radiation for Treatment of Peritoneal Mesothelioma (11/14/01)
  • New Trial Using Tri-Modal Therapy for Peritoneal Mesothelioma in New York with Dr. Robert N. Taub.
Dr. Eric Vallieres Dr. Eric Vallieres - Seattle, Washington
  • Dr. Vallières is a surgical oncologist who since 1997 has been the principal investigator of a Phase II multi-modal trial for mesothelioma patients at the University of Washington Medical Center. He now practices at the Swedish Cancer Institute.
  • Dr. Vallières is on the Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).

    University of Washington School of Medicine
    Eric Vallières MD FRCSC
    Thoracic Oncology
    Swedish Cancer Institute
    1221 Madison Street suite 400
    Seattle, WA 98104
    Phone: 206.-215.6800
    Fax: 206.215.6801
    email: eric.vallieres@swedish.org
  • Dr. Eric Vallières: Engaged on all Fronts. Seattle, Washington
   
Dr. Claire Verschraegen Dr. Claire Verschraegen - Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Dr. Verschraegen is an oncologist and Director of Experimental Therapeutics at the University of New Mexico.
  • Dr. Verschraegen is on the Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).
  • Director of Experimental Therapeutics
    Cancer Research and Treatment Center
    University of New Mexico
    900 Camino de Salud NE
    Albuquerque NM 87131
    Phone: 505.272.5837
    email cverschraegen@salud.unm.edu
Dr. Nicholas Vogelzang Dr. Nicholas Vogelzang - Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Dr. Vogelzang is a thoracic surgical oncologist with interests in clinical trials in genitourinary malignancies and mesothelioma. He is a recognized expert in new therapies for patients with metastatic kidney cancer, including genetic therapy, new cytokine therapy, and combination.
  • Therapeutic Progress in Malignant Mesothelioma by Nicholas J. Vogelzang, MDA summary of the diagnosing, staging, treatment approaches (including pemetrexed) and additional trials.  (4/27/05)
  • Dr. Vogelzang is on the Board of Directors of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).
    Nevada Cancer Institute
    10000 W.Charleston Blvd., Suite 260
    Las Vegas, NV 89135
    Phone:  702.821.0000
    email  nvogelza@nvcancer.org
    www.nevadacancerinstitute.org
  • ASCO Reports on Intracavitary Hyperthermic Chemo, FDG-PET Scan Prognostication, and Alimta/Cisplatin Quality of Life (6/12/03)
  • Unresectable Mesothelioma: A New Standard of Care   (5/29/02)

"Mesothelioma of the pleura, peritoneum,pericardium, and tunica vaginalis is a very rare malignancy which takes the lives of 3-5 wonderful people per day in the USA. It cause significant suffering, pain, shortness of breath, abdominal bloating and weight loss which are often resistant to all medical care. It is a disease which most medical,surgical and radiation oncologists have little or no experience in treating due to its rarity, and sadly many such physicians do not wish to become involved in the treatment of the disease because treatments have been so ineffective. In spite of this sad state of affairs a few oncologists have worked and struggled for the past 10-20 years to improve the care and outcome of such patients. We are delighted to finally have a support group such as MARF helping with the struggle. Just as the breast, prostate and colon cancer support groups have mobilized research funds, so MARF will do. Patients and their families must get involved and MARF is a way for them to do so."  Dr. Nicholas Vogelzan