- Specialty Pleural Mesothelioma
- Procedure Surgery
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AdventHealth Cancer Institute
2501 N. Orange Ave. Suite 201
Orlando, FL 32804
Dr. Marcelo DaSilva
Thoracic Surgeon
Marcelo DaSilva, MD, FACS is the Medical Director of Thoracic Surgery at AdventHealth Cancer Institute in Orlando. He is an internationally renowned thoracic surgeon for his contributions to the diagnosis and treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. He is also the founder and leader of the Mesothelioma International Treatment Program at AdventHealth. Learn more about Dr. DaSilva and get our help connecting with him today.
or call (866) 608-8933
Overview
or call (866) 608-8933
About Dr. Marcelo DaSilva
Dr. Marcelo C. DaSilva is the Medical Director of Thoracic Surgery and the Chief of Thoracic Surgery Services for AdventHealth System in Orlando. He joined the AdventHealth Orlando team in 2019.
In 2020, Dr. DaSilva opened a comprehensive mesothelioma treatment program at AdventHealth, equipped with oncologists, pathologists, and other medical professionals to offer comprehensive mesothelioma treatment in Central Florida.
Dr. DaSilva pioneered the application of heated chemotherapy for pleural mesothelioma, called intra-operative heated chemotherapy (IOHC), improving survival times for patients with this disease.
He has also developed a genetic testing system for patients with lung cancer, helping diagnose cancer subtypes with more accuracy and allowing medical professionals to develop better treatment plans based on the results.
Dr. DaSilva can communicate with patients in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Dr. DaSilva’s Career Highlights
- Developed a heated chemotherapy technique for pleural mesothelioma
- Experienced with both pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma
- Mentored by the late Dr. David Sugarbaker, a renowned mesothelioma expert, and respected Brazilian surgeon Dr. Augusto Paulino Soares de Souza Netto
- Pioneered lung cancer genetic testing for clinical patients
Dr. DaSilva’s Background
Dr. DaSilva holds a medical degree from the Universidade Gama Filho in Brazil. Following his training in Brazil, he joined the New York Medical School’s educational consortium and completed a residency in surgery at Sound Shore Medical Center (formerly New Rochelle Medical Center).
With three board certifications, Dr. DaSilva also has experience educating the next generation of surgeons. He was an assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School for four years before joining the staff at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston.
He worked at BWH from 2008 to 2013, and it was during this time that Dr. DaSilva worked with the late Dr. David Sugarbaker and developed his heated chemotherapy treatment for pleural mesothelioma.
Did You Know?
Heated chemotherapy has significantly increased life expectancy for many peritoneal mesothelioma patients. Dr. DaSilva’s adaptation of this procedure for pleural mesothelioma patients has earned him international recognition.
Dr. DaSilva then advanced his career by becoming the chief of thoracic surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. However, he soon after returned to the BWH network through one of their affiliated hospitals, Care New England, maintaining his chief of thoracic surgery title.
He has since moved to Florida and currently works at AdventHealth Orlando.
Medical Specializations
Dr. DaSilva is a board-certified thoracic surgeon with additional general surgery and critical surgical care certifications. He is internationally respected for his work with mesothelioma but has expertise in numerous other areas.
His additional areas of thoracic specialty include:
- Chest reconstruction
- Esophageal cancer
- Hernia repair
- Lung cancer
- Pleural effusions
- Reflux
- Rib fractures
Dr. DaSilva’s medical interests also include:
- Genetic testing
- Lung cancer screening
- Minimally invasive techniques
- Robotic surgery
- Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)
Dr. DaSilva’s Career Accomplishments
Through his partnership with the late Dr. David Sugarbaker, Dr. DaSilva has made substantial contributions in the field of mesothelioma treatment.
Dr. DaSilva took Dr. Sugarbaker’s existing heated chemotherapy treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma and found a way to use it for patients with pleural mesothelioma. As a result, this innovative treatment can be applied to help individuals with either form of mesothelioma.
Awards & Honors
- Annual New Era Cardiac Care Scholarship
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Scholar of Surgery
- CMS Stage 1 HER
- First Prize – International Trauma, Anesthesia, and Critical Care Society
- Mark Young International Medical Studies Scholarship
- Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education (TSFRE) Scholarship
Professional Affiliations
- American Board of Surgery
- American Board of Thoracic Surgery
- American College of Surgeons (fellow)
- Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery
- European Society of Thoracic Surgery
- Illinois Thoracic Surgery Society
- International Association Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)
- International Mesothelioma Program
- International Society of Heart & Lung Transplantation
- International Society of Surgery
- Massachusetts Medical Society
- Society of Thoracic Surgery
Dr. DaSilva’s Current Work
Dr. DaSilva helps mesothelioma patients from across the nation while also researching potential treatment improvements for a range of thoracic conditions.
In 2013, Dr. DaSilva published an article detailing his groundbreaking research in which heated chemotherapy was tested in patients with pleural mesothelioma for the first time.
The study compared 72 patients who received heated chemotherapy to 21 patients who had similar pleural mesothelioma symptoms but did not receive the treatment.
The data showed that pleural mesothelioma patients who received heated chemotherapy had significantly longer periods of remission compared to those who did not. The research ultimately concluded that heated chemotherapy is an excellent treatment option for people with low-risk epithelioid pleural mesothelioma.
Start Working With Dr. DaSilva
If you’ve been diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, you may be eligible for treatment with heated chemotherapy. Combined with other treatment methods, chemotherapy has helped many mesothelioma patients live longer with fewer symptoms.
Mesothelioma Hope can connect you with Dr. DaSilva and other top mesothelioma doctors who provide heated chemotherapy.
Call us at (855) 964-1027 today to start your treatment journey.
Mesothelioma Hope has no affiliation with and is not endorsed or sponsored by Dr. Marcelo DaSilva. Any contact information listed is for informational purposes only. You have the right to contact Dr. Marcelo DaSilva directly.
Written by:Jenna Tozzi, RNJenna Tozzi, RN, is the Director of Patient Advocacy at Mesothelioma Hope. With more than 15 years of experience as an adult and pediatric oncology nurse navigator, Jenna provides exceptional guidance and support to mesothelioma 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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