Dr. Mecker Moller
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Specialist
Dr. Mecker Moller is a reputable surgical oncologist who leads the peritoneal malignancies HIPEC program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She currently treats patients through the University of Miami Health System.
or call (866) 608-8933
or call (866) 608-8933
About Dr. Moller
Dr. Mecker Moller primarily focuses on malignant thoracic cancers, including mesothelioma, breast cancer, melanoma, and sarcomas.
In particular, Dr. Moller treats peritoneal mesothelioma (which develops in the abdominal lining) using a combination of surgery and heated chemotherapy, more commonly known as cytoreduction with HIPEC.
“Clinical studies show HIPEC to be significantly more effective than surgery or chemotherapy alone, so we are able to offer these patients an improved prognosis and quality of life.”
Dr. Moller’s Career Highlights
As a top surgical oncologist, Dr. Moller has served as:
- Associate professor of surgery at the University of Miami Hospital
- Developer and leader of HIPEC peritoneal malignancies program at University of Miami Hospital
- A top international doctor, treating patients in the U.S., Ireland, Italy, and Nicaragua
Dr. Moller’s Background
Dr. Moller earned her medical degree at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, before joining the internship and general residency programs at the University of Michigan.
She completed a clinical fellowship in surgical oncology at the respected H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center from 2006 to 2008, followed by a research fellowship in surgical oncology at the same center until 2009.
Dr. Moller has performed clinical work at several international hospitals, taking advantage of opportunities to pursue a wide variety of specialties in foreign countries.
She pursued graduate studies in Valladolid, Spain, was a primary care physician in Managua, Nicaragua, and practiced electrochemotherapy in Cork, Ireland.
Her studies also took her to Milan, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain, while some of her research has focused on the unique challenges faced by surgeons abroad.
In October 2008, Dr. Moller joined the University of Miami as an academic surgical oncologist. She holds this position to this day, teaching students everything she knows about mesothelioma and melanoma.
In early 2011, Dr. Moller was also recruited to develop and lead the heated chemotherapy program for peritoneal surface malignancies at the University of Miami Hospital. In 2012, she extended the program to include Jackson Memorial Hospital, enabling more patients to receive this innovative mesothelioma treatment.
Medical Specializations
Dr. Moller is one of the world’s leading experts in hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC), also called heated chemotherapy, for peritoneal mesothelioma patients.
Through cytoreduction with HIPEC, a heated chemo solution is applied directly to the abdomen after removing all visible cancer tumors.
“What the procedure does is increase your disease-free survival, and it has been proven that it’s better than giving […] IV chemotherapy.”
The process allows the chemotherapy to reach all the areas and crevices in the abdomen, helping destroy any microscopic cancer cells left behind after surgery. HIPEC also allows for a higher concentration of chemotherapy than is possible with traditional oral or intravenous chemo options.
Dr. Moller is board-certified in general surgery and treats:
- Abdominal and peritoneal carcinomatosis
- Appendiceal cancer
- Breast cancer
- Melanoma
- Peritoneal mesothelioma
- Sarcomas
- Small bowel cancer
Dr. Moller’s Career Accomplishments
Dr. Moller has led an accomplished career, making significant contributions to the medical community as both a clinical surgeon and academic researcher.
One of Dr. Moller’s most memorable accomplishments was the creation of the University of Miami’s HIPEC program, which now also operates out of Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Awards & Honors
Dr. Moller’s professional awards and honors include:
- Academic Exchange Scholar – Red Cross Integrative Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital
- American College of Surgeons Fellow
- First Place Award in Basic Sciences – Michigan State University Research Forum
- First Place Research Prize – XI Central American Congress of Medical Students
- Founder’s Trust Community Impact Award
- Oncology Fellow Scholarship Award – Physician Education Resources
- Pino Cascinelli Melanoma Memorial Award for Young Investigators
- Traveling Fellow Grant Award – European Society for Clinical Investigation
Dr. Moller’s Current Work
Dr. Mecker Moller currently works as a surgical oncologist at the University of Miami Health System.
She operates out of several hospitals, including the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Jackson Memorial Hospital, and currently leads the HIPEC treatment program at the University of Miami Hospital.
Dr. Moller is also an accomplished academic, sharing her expertise in mesothelioma and other peritoneal conditions with surgeons across the nation. She teaches at the Miller School of Medicine and performs surgery alongside surgical residents.
Notable Work by Dr. Moller
Dr. Moller has conducted an innovative clinical trial based out of the University of Miami with the goal to understand how cancer cells grow and how to keep them from growing.
Under cancer stem cell theory, it’s thought that cancer can differentiate itself as it grows, creating numerous types of cells within a single tumor. This diversity of cells makes current therapies less effective.
While cancer therapy may eliminate one or more types of cancer cells, tumors can replace destroyed cells with a different and more resilient variety of cells. In other words, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may suddenly stop working.
However, research indicates that these cells grow in the first place because of cell signaling pathways, which cause a cell to reproduce. Dr. Moller and the scientific community believe that interrupting the pathways’ ability to generate cancer cells can help prevent cancer growth and potentially cure it entirely.
In this study, researchers investigated the link between Nack, a protein, and Notch, a signal pathway. It appears that Nack amplifies the ability of Notch to grow cancer cells, and is a required component for the growth of certain cells.
Research into this type of cell growth is particularly important for mesothelioma patients, as this form of cancer does not typically respond to traditional treatments and has a high recurrence rate. Cell manipulation may be the solution to this ongoing challenge in mesothelioma treatment.
Dr. Moller’s Healing Philosophy
Mesothelioma patients who work with Dr. Moller can expect a phenomenal quality of care. Dr. Moller has spent a notable portion of her career working at the University of Miami Hospital and therefore follows its mission and core values during her clinical and academic work.
The University of Miami Hospital attempts to deliver compassionate, high-caliber patient care while advancing treatment options through innovative research. As a teaching hospital, the University of Miami Hospital educates the future health care leaders of America.
If you’re interested in working with Dr. Moller for your peritoneal mesothelioma treatment, contact Mesothelioma Hope today.
Mesothelioma Hope has no affiliation with and is not endorsed or sponsored by Dr. Mecker Moller. Any contact information listed is for informational purposes only. You have the right to contact Dr. Mecker Moller directly.
Written by:Laura WrightLaura Wright is a journalist and content strategist with more than 15 years of professional experience. She attended college at the University of Florida, graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2008. Her writing has been featured in The Gainesville Sun and other regional publications throughout Florida.
