Peritoneal Mesothelioma HIPEC Program Comes to Alabama

Patients in Alabama diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma cancer no longer need to leave the state in pursuit of optimal care and long-term survival. The best possible mesothelioma treatment is now closer to home. The O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham recently launched a complex treatment program for several abdominal malignancies that combines extensive cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, also known as HIPEC. This combination, used only at select specialty centers throughout the U.S., has been especially effective for peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused primarily by asbestos exposure. “We’re excited to bring it here and get this program rolling,” surgical oncologist Dr. Salila Hashmi told The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “Peritoneal mesothelioma is such a unique disease. We want the best for our patients.” Specialty Treatment Benefits Alabama Mesothelioma Patients Hashmi joined the specialists at the cancer center in 2021 and played a major role in the launch of the only mesothelioma program of its kind in the state. She was specially trained in the treatment. In the past, patients with peritoneal mesothelioma who lived in Alabama needed to travel to New Orleans, Atlanta or North Carolina to find this survival-extending combination. Unfortunately, many stayed closer to home and received less-effective treatment. The difference in survival can be s...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Treatment Source Type: news