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Address
8800 West Doyne Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53226 - Surgical Oncology Associate Dean Dr. Ugwuji N. Maduekwe
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The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
The Froedtert Hospital & the Medical College of Wisconsin is a medical network with locations in and around Milwaukee. It provides comprehensive care for patients facing mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases. Get connected with specialists at the Froedtert.
About the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is a network of 10 hospitals and 45 health clinics that can treat patients facing a wide variety of health issues.
Notably, Froedtert & the MCW can help those facing mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
The Froedtert & MCW health network focuses on four pillars:
- Patient care: Providing comprehensive and compassionate care, approaching each patient as a whole person rather than a medical condition.
- Innovation: Offering eligible patients access to new and cutting-edge technologies and treatments that are not yet widely available.
- Education: Providing top training and educational opportunities to students of medicine from around the world.
- Medical research: Giving opportunities to both patients and researchers to participate in studies and clinical trials, which study ways to improve cancer care.
Mesothelioma doctors at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin are able to treat both pleural mesothelioma (which develops in the lung lining) and peritoneal mesothelioma (which affects the lining of the abdomen). This is notable because many facilities can only treat one of these two types.
Froedtert Medical College of Wisconsin Mesothelioma Doctors
The mesothelioma team at Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin includes medical oncologists, thoracic surgeons, radiation oncologists, and other specialists who can offer various types of treatments.
Notable mesothelioma doctors at the Froedtert & the MCW include:
- Dr. Hui-Zi Chen – Thoracic medical oncologist
- Dr. Mallory Hunt – Thoracic surgeon
- Dr. Anai Kothari – Surgical oncologist
- Dr. Paul Linsky – Thoracic surgeon
- Dr. Ugwuji N. Maduekwe – Surgical oncology associate dean
- Dr. Jonathan Thompson – Hematologist and medical oncologist
Doctors at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin collaborate with each other to ensure each patient gets the most appropriate treatment for their case.
Use our Free Doctor Match to connect with top mesothelioma specialists at the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin and other cancer centers around the country.
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Mesothelioma Treatment Approach
Doctors at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin can use a variety of different treatments for mesothelioma depending on cancer type and stage, the patient’s overall health, and more.
When you get treatment from Froedtert doctors, they’ll explain how potential treatments will work and help you determine which will be most appropriate in your case.
Surgery
The Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin offers several types of mesothelioma surgery options for patients through its Thoracic Cancer Program.
Mesothelioma surgeries available include:
- Cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma, which combines abdominal surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to destroy leftover cancer cells. Doctors at the Froedtert & the MCW have been performing this procedure since 2010.
- Extrapleural pneumonectomy for pleural mesothelioma, which removes the lung lining, the lung closest to the cancer, and all tumors.
- Pleurectomy with decortication, which is also used to treat pleural mesothelioma, but keeps both lungs intact while removing tumors. This makes it less invasive than an EPP and easier for patients to recover from.
Surgery can be used in all stages of mesothelioma, but it is often best for the earlier stages before the cancer has spread.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors so that they can more easily be removed by surgery or radiation therapy.
Mesothelioma chemotherapy can be used to treat patients at any stage and is often combined with other therapies for the best results.
Doctors at the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin can use different chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma, including cisplatin, pemetrexed, and carboplatin.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to target and kill cancer cells. Like chemotherapy, it is often used in combination with surgery and other types of treatment to destroy as much of the cancer as possible.
For example, radiation for mesothelioma can be used before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to remove any remaining cancer cells.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy medications enhance the body’s natural immune system response to cancers like mesothelioma. Mesothelioma immunotherapy is a newer treatment first approved in 2020 after showing success in numerous clinical trials.
In one notable example, a patient with stage 4 mesothelioma lived longer with immunotherapy treatments administered by Dr. Thompson through Froedtert & MCW’s Thoracic Cancer Program.
“Sometimes, it looks like [mesothelioma] patients are getting worse, but if you give immunotherapy a little time, people can show signs of improvement.”
– Dr. Jonathan Thompson, mesothelioma specialist at Froedtert
Palliative Care
Palliative care describes any type of therapy designed to ease pain rather than improve patient survival. While palliative care is usually the main treatment for late-stage mesothelioma patients, it can be used at any time to boost quality of life.
Common forms of palliative care offered to cancer patients by Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin include pain-relieving medications, psychological care to relieve stress, and more.
The Froedtert & the MCW also have a 24-hour clinic available to patients who need immediate care for severe cancer symptoms or treatment side effects.
Download our Free Doctor Questions Checklist so you know exactly what to ask at your next mesothelioma appointment.
Patient Support at Froedtert and Medical College of Wisconsin
Patient care at Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin focuses on treating the patient as a whole, not just the condition that has brought them to the hospital.
Froedtert doctors recognize that each patient is unique, so their treatment should be customized to meet their individual needs.
Additionally, the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin network provides supportive care and mental health care to those facing serious cancers like mesothelioma.
Supportive options include:
- Cancer support groups
- Programs to help quit smoking
- Psychological counseling for cancer patients
- Spiritual services
Two in-network clinics, the Small Stones Wellness Center and the Jeffrey C. Siegel Quality of Life Center, also offer a wide range of services to help improve quality of life for those facing cancers like mesothelioma.
“The care I received was outstanding. I don’t know if I would be in this position if it weren’t for the Froedtert & MCW Cancer Network.”
– Roger, stage 4 mesothelioma survivor treated at Froedtert
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials at the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
Besides offering mesothelioma treatments, the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin is known for its cancer research and clinical trials. These trials look to find new or improved therapies to help mesothelioma patients.
An ongoing Froedtert study is investigating how a new drug called MRTX1719 can help improve the lives of patients with mesothelioma and other solid tumors. Patients’ cancer tumors must be missing a certain gene called MTAP in order to receive this medication.
Each mesothelioma clinical trial has unique criteria as to who can join. However, patients have sometimes lived longer if their cancer responded to the treatment they received in a trial.
Doctors at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin can help determine if a mesothelioma clinical trial could be beneficial to you or a loved one.
Paying for Treatment at the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
Mesothelioma treatments can be very expensive, even if you have insurance. Fortunately, there are ways you can access financial compensation to cover expenses when getting treated at the Froedtert & the MCW.
Key mesothelioma compensation options include:
- Asbestos trust funds
- Mesothelioma lawsuits
- VA benefits
Getting Mesothelioma Treatment at Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin
The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin is a leading hospital for patients facing asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma. Froedtert’s cancer doctors can recommend the best treatments for both peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma, giving more patients hope in the face of these aggressive cancers.
Work with Mesothelioma Hope to get help connecting with top doctors near you, including those at the Froedtert & the MCW. Our Patient Advocates will explain your options and work with you to get the care that you need.
Contact us now or call (866) 608-8933 to get started and explore all the ways we can assist you.
Mesothelioma Hope has no affiliation with and is not endorsed or sponsored by The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. Any contact information listed is for informational purposes only. You have the right to contact The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin directly.
Written by:Jenna Tozzi, RNJenna Tozzi, RN, is the Chief Patient Care Advisor for Mesothelioma Hope. With more than 15 years of experience as an adult and pediatric oncology nurse navigator, Jenna provides exceptional guidance and support to cancer patients and their loved ones. Jenna has been featured in Oncology Nursing News and is a member of the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators & the American Nurses Association.
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