AdventHealth Cancer Institute

About AdventHealth Cancer Institute

AdventHealth Cancer Institute is an award-winning mesothelioma cancer center with locations throughout central Florida and a main office in Orlando.

This treatment center also has full accreditation from multiple national organizations and offers access to cancer specialists who are experts in treating multiple types of aggressive cancer, including mesothelioma.

As part of the lung and cancer program at AdventHealth Cancer Institute, physicians have treated diseases like mesothelioma as well as lung cancer, lung nodules, and thymoma.

Currently, Dr. Marcelo DaSilva leads the mesothelioma treatment program at AdventHealth.

Learn more about how treatment from a top cancer center can help you after a mesothelioma diagnosis with our Free Mesothelioma Guide, shipped overnight to your door.

Mesothelioma Treatments at AdventHealth Cancer Institute Orlando

Patients seeking treatment for pleural mesothelioma can find world-class medical care from the lung cancer center at AdventHealth Cancer Institute.

The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer can be hard to distinguish, so treatment plans begin with an official diagnosis of mesothelioma using a biopsy and imaging scans.

Mesothelioma treatment at AdventHealth Cancer Institute Orlando often involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other methods.

Mesothelioma currently has no cure, but the treatments offered at AdventHealth Cancer Institute can make patients more comfortable, improve their quality of life, and potentially improve their life expectancy.

Patient Care at AdventHealth Cancer Institute

The AdventHealth cancer center provides what is called whole-person (holistic) care. This means patients are taken care of physically, mentally, and even spiritually during their stay.

Whole-person cancer care programs at AdventHealth include:

• Art and music therapy
• Individual and family counseling
• Nutritional guidance
• Peer support groups
• And many other services

During their time at AdventHealth Cancer Institute, patients also work with their very own nurse navigator.

Nurse navigators set up appointments and help patients prepare for them. They also let each patient know what they can expect during every step of the cancer care journey.

It is this individualized attention and holistic approach to patient care that makes AdventHealth Cancer Institute one of America’s best cancer hospitals, according to the U.S. News & World Report.

Call (866) 608-8933 to get help starting treatment at AdventHealth Cancer Institute Orlando after a diagnosis. Our Patient Advocates and nursing support staff are here to assist you.

AdventHealth Cancer Institute Mesothelioma Doctors

Treating mesothelioma often includes a multidisciplinary approach, with mesothelioma doctors with different specialties working together to help patients.

Your oncology team at AdventHealth Cancer Institute Orlando will likely include experts in thoracic surgery and radiation oncology as well as lung physicians.

Leading oncologists and surgeons at AdventHealth Cancer Institute include:

• Charles Hodge, MD – Radiation oncologist
• Marcelo DaSilva, MD, FACS – Thoracic surgeon
• Mark A. Socinski, MD – Medical oncologist
• Tarek Mekhail, MD – Medical oncologist

In working together, these physicians form a care team that develops individualized treatment plans for every patient that suits their needs and health goals.

Mesothelioma Hope can help you find some of the best cancer specialists available. Use our Free Doctor Match to get started.

Mesothelioma Treatments at AdventHealth Cancer Institute

Mesothelioma can be difficult and complex to treat, and there is currently no cure.

However, successful mesothelioma treatments can help patients live longer and improve their overall quality of life.

AdventHealth Cancer Institute uses multiple treatment methods for mesothelioma, depending on how far the cancer has spread by the time it’s diagnosed.

Medication

It is very common for a person who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma to take various medications as part of their treatment plan.

Medications can be used when treating mesothelioma to manage pain or as a way of improving quality of life by reducing symptoms.

Surgery

Commonly used pleural mesothelioma surgeries include an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), in which a lung, the pleura, and all visible cancer tumors are extracted, and a pleurectomy with decortication (P/D), where only the pleura and cancer are removed.

Either surgery can allow patients to live longer after a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis, as the cancer (at least for a time) will be fully removed. It may return months or years later, however.

Whether either of these mesothelioma surgeries is used depends heavily on how far the patient’s cancer has progressed.

Patients with late-stage mesothelioma cases may not be able to safely undergo either of these major surgeries. For these patients, minor surgeries for mesothelioma — such as drainage of pleural fluid — can be used to ease symptoms.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that aims to destroy cancer cells.

Mesothelioma chemotherapy can be used alone or alongside other treatments. For instance, chemotherapy is often used prior to surgery to shrink a mesothelioma tumor and make it easier to remove.

Unfortunately, chemotherapy can also destroy healthy cells in the process, leading to side effects like fatigue, nausea, or hair loss.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy for mesothelioma targets specific areas and tumors within a person’s body. Doctors use radiation to try and shrink them while avoiding damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

Radiation is often used in combination with chemotherapy and surgery, although it can be used as a stand-alone treatment depending on if and how far the mesothelioma has spread.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy, or cellular therapy, utilizes a person’s own immune system in order to fight their cancer and is a relatively new type of treatment for mesothelioma.

There are multiple types of immunotherapy drugs, and many of them are still in the phase of clinical research and trials.

Get answers about mesothelioma treatments from your doctors now with our Free Download of Questions to ask at an appointment.

Mesothelioma Clinical Trials and Research at AdventHealth Cancer Institute

AdventHealth has a dedicated Research Institute that conducts nearly 650 clinical trials every year.

These clinical trials address a wide range of issues and diseases, and are designed to provide options to patients of all ages and walks of life. Clinical trials for mesothelioma tend to focus on improving current treatments and testing new ones.

Mesothelioma clinical trials:

• Give options to patients who have not seen success with traditional treatments
• May help researchers eventually discover a cure for mesothelioma
• Offer free treatment options for participants
• Open up access to cutting-edge therapies
• Provide much-needed information to the medical community at large

It’s always a good idea to have a conversation with your health care provider before enrolling in a clinical trial, and to weigh the benefits and risks with your loved ones.

Mesothelioma Hope can help you locate clinical trials in your area that might be a good fit. Contact us today to learn more.

Getting Mesothelioma Treatment at AdventHealth Cancer Institute

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you deserve to get treated at a world-class mesothelioma center like AdventHealth Cancer Institute.

AdventHealth Cancer Institute Orlando and other cancer centers may offer treatments that could extend your prognosis and improve your quality of life.

The Mesothelioma Hope team can help you connect with AdventHealth Cancer Institute and other top treatment centers so you can receive the medical care you deserve. Connect with our Patient Advocates now at (866) 608-8933 to get started.