UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

About UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is part of the University of California San Francisco health system, which is known for its excellence in both patient care and cancer research.

Established in 1948 as the Cancer Research Institute, the facility is consistently considered one of the leading hospitals for malignant mesothelioma.

“You are not treating a tumor. You are treating a whole person, and everything matters.”
– Dr. Mohamed Adam, peritoneal mesothelioma specialist

UCSF was listed among U.S. News & World Report‘s best hospitals for 2023-24, ranking seventh in the nation for cancer treatment.

UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is an excellent choice for mesothelioma patients living in San Francisco and throughout California. This mesothelioma cancer center’s doctors will work tirelessly to give you or a loved one the best quality of life possible.

UCSF Helen Diller Cancer Center Mesothelioma Doctors

UCSF Helen Diller Family Cancer Center has a wide range of mesothelioma doctors on staff to assist patients.

Dr. Johannes Kratz currently serves as Interim Chief of Thoracic Surgery at UCSF. A Harvard Medical School graduate, Dr. Kratz finished his clinical training at UCSF before joining the staff. He and his team treat pleural mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other chest-related cancers.

“The Thoracic Oncology Program provides high quality, state-of-the-art care for lung cancer, mesothelioma, esophageal cancer, and cancer that has metastasized to the lungs.”
– UCSF Thoracic Oncology Program

Dr. Mohamed Adam treats peritoneal mesothelioma and other abdominal cancers. Dr. Adam is skilled in using cytoreduction with heated chemotherapy (HIPEC), a key treatment that has helped patients with this cancer live for many years after their diagnosis.

Other Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center mesothelioma doctors include:

• Dr. Mohamed Adam
  Gastrointestinal cancer surgeon
• Dr. Trever G. Bivona
  Medical oncologist
• Dr. Melissa H. Coleman
  Thoracic oncologist
• Dr. Lawrence Fong
  Immunotherapy specialist
• Dr. Yaron B. Gesthalter
  Pulmonologist
• Dr. Alexander R. Gottschalk
  Radiation oncologist
• Dr. Matthew Gubens
  Medical oncologist
• Dr. Jasleen Kukreja
  Thoracic oncologist
• Dr. Michael Mann
  Thoracic oncologist
• Dr. Binh Trinh
  Thoracic oncologist

Dr. David Jablons and Dr. Thierry Jahan also treated many mesothelioma patients before they retired. Together, they co-founded UCSF’s thoracic oncology clinic, and Dr. Jablons served as the Chief of Thoracic Surgery.

Mesothelioma patients will likely see multiple specialists, including thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurses, social workers, and patient advocates, to ensure their treatment plan accounts for all their needs.

Use our Free Doctor Match for help finding mesothelioma specialists at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and other top health care providers.

Mesothelioma Treatments at UCSF Helen Diller Cancer Center

UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center doctors can use multiple mesothelioma treatments to help patients live longer.

Several treatments are typically used together to help destroy as much of the cancer as possible. Which treatments will be used depends on the type of mesothelioma you have, its stage, your overall health, and other factors.

Learn about specific treatments used below.

Surgery

Mesothelioma surgery is often the most successful treatment for patients, as it allows doctors to remove tumors from the body.

Common surgeries used to treat mesothelioma include:

• Cytoreduction with HIPEC: A procedure for peritoneal mesothelioma that combines surgery with heated chemotherapy applied directly to the abdominal cavity. Patients typically live for 53 months (nearly 4 and a half years) after this procedure.
• Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP): A surgery for pleural mesothelioma that involves the removal of tumors, the lung closest to the cancer, and the lung lining (pleura). Patients live for 26.8 months on average when an EPP, chemotherapy, and radiation are used together.
• Pleurectomy with decortication (P/D): Also used for pleural mesothelioma, this surgery removes the lung lining and cancer tumors but spares the lungs. The average life expectancy is 34 months with this surgery.

Surgeries are typically used for patients whose mesothelioma hasn’t spread very far.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves using drugs, typically by IV injection, to destroy cancer cells. It can be used by itself or in combination with other mesothelioma treatments like surgery.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy medications boost the body’s natural immune response to mesothelioma. Several immunotherapy drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat pleural mesothelioma, and researchers are currently evaluating their potential to treat peritoneal mesothelioma.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy works to attack and kill mesothelioma cells by damaging their DNA. It’s typically used to supplement other treatments like surgery and chemotherapy.

Get our Free Checklist of 14 Questions to Ask Your Mesothelioma Doctor for help finding the best treatments in your case.

Support for Mesothelioma Patients at UCSF Helen Diller Cancer Center

Besides offering cancer treatments, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center also offers a wide range of programs to support mesothelioma patients.

These include:

• Cancer support groups for patients and caregivers
• Discounted lodging at hotels and motels
• A peer support program
• Wellness programs covering exercise, meditation, and much more

UCSF social workers and patient advocates can help you navigate these supportive resources to ensure your needs are met.

Mesothelioma Clinical Trials at UCSF Helen Diller Cancer Center

UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center also conducts clinical trials to find new and better ways to diagnose and treat cancers like mesothelioma.

Ongoing mesothelioma clinical trials at UCSF include:

• A Beta-only IL-2 ImmunoTherapY Study: This trial is investigating how a drug called MDNA11 could help treat advanced cancer tumors. Doctors are testing MDNA11 alone or in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The study is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
• A Study of NX-1607 in Adults With Advanced Malignancies: Doctors are studying a checkpoint inhibitor drug, NX-1607, to treat patients with cancers like mesothelioma who can’t receive surgery. Results of this study are expected by February 2026.
• A Study of PF-08046049/SGN-BB228 in Advanced Melanoma and Other Solid Tumors: This will determine the best dosage for a drug called PF-08046049/SGN-BB228 and note any side effects patients experience. Doctors expect findings from this study by November 2027.

Mesothelioma clinical trials are free to join, provided you meet the eligibility criteria.

Use our Free Doctor Match to find top specialists who can help you join any mesothelioma clinical trials you qualify for.

Getting Mesothelioma Treatment at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma and lives near San Francisco, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center may be a great choice.

This cancer center has the expertise to effectively treat peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma. Each patient will work with a team of medical experts to get the best care possible for their case.

“Every action I take in medicine feels like there’s some inherent worth, and I’m always proud of what I’ve done at the end of every day.”
– Dr. Johannes Kratz, UCSF Interim Chief of Thoracic Surgery

Mesothelioma Hope can help you connect with top doctors at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and across the country.

Call (866) 608-8933 or use our Free Doctor Match now to get started.