Best Hospitals for Mesothelioma Treatment: 10 Centers with Published Survival Data in 2026

What Are the Key Facts About Mesothelioma Treatment Centers?

• High-volume surgical centers have 31% lower 90-day mortality (10.0% vs. 14.6%) compared to lower-volume facilities [1]
• The surgical standard has shifted from EPP (entire lung removal) to P/D (lung-sparing surgery) at most leading centers [2]
• Mount Sinai reported 0% 30-day mortality in 71 P/D patients (2015–2021), challenging the MARS 2 trial's 9% 90-day rate [3]
• The University of Pennsylvania/Maryland PDT program achieved median survival of 36 months — double the national average — using surgery combined with photodynamic therapy [4]
• Brigham and Women's Hospital has the longest continuous mesothelioma program: a 529-patient series spanning 1988–2011 [5]
• MSK's CAR-T cell therapy trial achieved 23.9 months median survival with 83% one-year survival in combination with pembrolizumab [6]
• CheckMate 743 established immunotherapy as first-line standard of care: 5-year survival of 14% vs. 6% for chemotherapy [7]
• For peritoneal mesothelioma, CRS/HIPEC at the Washington Cancer Institute achieved 67-month median survival [8]
• The Milan National Cancer Institute's CRS/HIPEC series showed a 43.6% potential cure fraction at 7+ years [9]
• Only about 4–8 mesothelioma surgeries per year qualifies a facility as "high-volume" nationally — the disease is that rare [1]. For an overview of leading programs, see our top 6 mesothelioma treatment centers
• An international multi-center analysis confirmed that 5+ year survival after P/D is achievable in epithelioid patients at expert centers [12]

How Were These 10 Mesothelioma Treatment Centers Selected?

This list ranks centers by a single criterion: peer-reviewed, published outcome data with explicit patient counts, survival statistics, and mortality rates. Hospital marketing claims, patient testimonials, and "best of" rankings from commercial list services were excluded. Every statistic cited below has a PubMed-indexed source.

Centers were included if they met at least one of these thresholds:

• Published a standalone institutional surgical series (2012–2026) with n ≥ 50 patients and reported median overall survival
• Led or contributed to a landmark multi-institutional study that changed clinical practice
• Published a phase I/II clinical trial with novel therapy and outcome data specific to mesothelioma

"When families ask me which hospital to choose, I always start with the same question: what has this center published? Published outcomes with real patient numbers are the only claims that have been peer-reviewed. Everything else is marketing."

— Anna Jackson, Director of Patient Support, Danziger & De Llano

Which Hospitals Have the Best Published Outcomes for Pleural Mesothelioma Surgery?

1. Brigham and Women's Hospital / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Boston, MA)

The International Mesothelioma Program (IMP), founded in 2002 by Dr. David Sugarbaker and now led by Dr. Raphael Bueno, is the longest-running dedicated mesothelioma program in the United States. The program's 529-patient epithelioid EPP series (1988–2011) remains the largest single-institution surgical series in the published literature: median survival of 18 months, 5-year survival of 14%, and 10-year survival of 4% [5]. An earlier 183-patient series demonstrated 5-year survival of 15% overall, rising to 46% in patients with favorable factors (epithelial type, negative margins, negative nodes) [5]. For a deeper look at BWH's surgical options and clinical trials, see our complete guide to Brigham and Women's mesothelioma surgery program.

The IMP has shifted from EPP to extended pleurectomy/decortication (ePD) under Dr. Bueno's leadership. BWH contributed data to a 2025 multi-center analysis of 276 long-term survivors from six international centers, confirming that 5+ year survival after ePD is achievable in epithelioid patients [12]. The IMP also led genomic research analyzing over 200 mesothelioma tumor samples, identifying 10 significantly mutated genes that inform immunotherapy trial design.

2. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY)

MSK is the highest-referral mesothelioma treatment center in the United States by published patient registry data. Its 948-patient cohort (1990–2005) implied approximately 60+ surgical cases per year historically. MSK contributed 448 of 663 patients to the landmark Flores et al. multi-institutional study that demonstrated P/D's superiority over EPP: operative mortality of 4% for P/D versus 7% for EPP, with EPP carrying a hazard ratio of 1.4 (p<0.001) [2].

MSK leads the field in CAR-T cell therapy for mesothelioma. Dr. Prasad Adusumilli's phase I trial of intrapleural mesothelin-targeted CAR T cells enrolled 41 patients [6]. The combination arm (CAR T + pembrolizumab, n=18) achieved median overall survival of 23.9 months with 83% one-year survival — two patients had complete metabolic response on PET scan. A follow-up phase I/II trial (NCT04577326) with higher-dose CAR T cells is ongoing.

3. Mount Sinai / Tisch Cancer Center (New York, NY)

Mount Sinai's 2026 publication in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, led by Dr. Raja Flores, provides the most compelling modern data for patient selection in mesothelioma surgery. The retrospective analysis of 71 P/D patients (2015–2021) reported [3]:

Metric	Mount Sinai (2026)	MARS 2 Surgery Arm
Patients (n)	71	~168
30-day mortality	0%	4%
90-day mortality	4.2%	9%
Epithelioid subtype	~80%	87%
Procedure	P/D (standard)	Extended P/D (89%)

These results directly challenge the MARS 2 trial's conclusion that surgery offers no survival benefit. Flores and colleagues argue that patient selection criteria, preoperative PET/CT imaging, and surgical approach (standard P/D versus the more radical extended P/D used in MARS 2) explain the mortality differences. Dr. Flores also led the 2008 multi-institutional 663-patient analysis that established P/D as the preferred procedure [2].

4. University of Pennsylvania / University of Maryland (Philadelphia / Baltimore)

Dr. Joseph Friedberg runs the only program in the world routinely combining lung-sparing surgery with intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT). Two published prospective series demonstrate exceptional results [4]:

• 74-patient series (two photosensitizers): median overall survival of 36 months (all patients), 87 months (7.3 years) for N0 patients, 23 months for N1/N2 patients
• 38-patient series (97% stage III/IV): median survival of 31.7 months overall, 41.2 months for epithelioid
• Operative mortality: approximately 2% (1 death in 38 patients)

The survival advantage despite early recurrence (overall survival far exceeding progression-free survival) is hypothesized to relate to lung preservation and a PDT-mediated immune effect. A 2025 preclinical study from the Friedberg group confirmed that PD-1 blockade enhances PDT efficacy, supporting future combination trials.

"Dr. Friedberg's PDT results — 87 months median survival for node-negative patients — represent what's possible when surgical expertise meets innovative technology at a high-volume center. These numbers give patients with early-stage disease reason for genuine hope."

— Anna Jackson, Director of Patient Support, Danziger & De Llano

5. MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX)

MD Anderson, an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, has published multimodality therapy data focusing on patients receiving trimodality treatment (surgery + intensity-modulated radiation therapy + chemotherapy). A 2019 study reviewed 160 patients receiving EPP (n=94) or P/D (n=66), finding that 66% completed adjuvant IMRT and that failure to complete radiation was associated with worse outcomes. MD Anderson continues active enrollment in mesothelioma immunotherapy trials.

6. UCLA Health / Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (Los Angeles, CA)

Dr. Robert Cameron is internationally recognized as a founding pioneer of P/D as the preferred alternative to EPP. His published reviews in Thoracic Surgery Clinics establish P/D achieving a 5-year survival rate of 15% while being better tolerated than EPP. UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center holds NCI designation (see our full list of NCI-designated mesothelioma cancer centers) and offers immunotherapy per current ASCO guidelines alongside surgical options.

7. NCI / NIH Clinical Center (Bethesda, MD)

The NCI Clinical Center, led by Dr. Raffit Hassan, is primarily a research-focused program contributing to phase I/II trials of mesothelin-targeted therapies. The amatuximab phase II trial (89 patients receiving amatuximab + pemetrexed/cisplatin) achieved median overall survival of 14.8 months with 40% partial response and 51% stable disease [11]. NCI contributed 96 patients to the Flores 2008 multi-institutional surgical study [2]. For patients seeking access to novel investigational therapies not available at any other institution, the NCI Clinical Center is a unique resource.

Where Should Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients Seek Treatment?

Peritoneal mesothelioma requires a fundamentally different surgical approach: cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC). Three centers have published the strongest outcome data.

8. Washington Cancer Institute / MedStar Washington Hospital Center (Washington, DC)

Dr. Paul H. Sugarbaker pioneered CRS/HIPEC for peritoneal surface malignancies. His two-decade institutional experience with 68 peritoneal mesothelioma patients achieved median overall survival of 67 months (5.6 years) [8]. Subsequent publications demonstrated that adding normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (NIPEC-LT) pushes 5-year survival toward 70% in selected patients — a propensity-matched analysis of 74 patients confirmed significantly better survival in the NIPEC group (p=0.0263).

9. Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori (INT), Milan, Italy

Led by Dr. Marcello Deraco, INT Milan published the most cited single-institution CRS/HIPEC series in the world. Among 108 patients who achieved complete cytoreduction, median survival was 63.2 months (over 5 years), with operative mortality of just 1.9% [9]. The most remarkable finding: among 39 patients with 7+ years of follow-up, 19 (43.6%) were alive — representing a potential cure fraction. This survival plateau after 7 years suggests that CRS/HIPEC can achieve long-term disease control or cure in a substantial minority of patients.

10. Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (Winston-Salem, NC)

Led by Dr. Konstantinos Votanopoulos and Dr. Edward Levine, Wake Forest published one of the largest and longest single-center longitudinal CRS/HIPEC series: 111 patients over 28 years (from program inception in December 1991) [10]. Key outcomes:

• 30-day postoperative mortality: 2.7%
• Median overall survival: 39 months
• Patients who underwent second CRS/HIPEC (n=17): median survival of 67.7 months vs. 35.9 months for single procedure (p=0.037)
• Conditional survival improved significantly after the first postoperative year

Does Hospital Volume Actually Affect Mesothelioma Survival?

The most comprehensive analysis of this question is Simone et al. (2018), a National Cancer Database study of 1,307 non-metastatic pleural mesothelioma patients who underwent EPP or P/D [1]:

Metric	High-Volume Facility	Lower-Volume Facility	p-value
Patients (n)	686 (52%)	621 (48%)	—
90-day mortality	10.0%	14.6%	0.029
30-day readmission	4.6%	6.1%	0.021
Median overall survival	18 months	15 months	0.010*

*The survival difference did not remain significant after propensity matching, suggesting it partly reflects patient selection rather than surgical quality alone.

The critical insight: "high volume" in mesothelioma means approximately 4–8 surgical cases per year at the 90th percentile nationally. This underscores how rare the disease is and why treatment concentrates at specialty centers. The rarity of mesothelioma [14] means most community hospitals may see zero cases in a given year.

"The volume data tells patients something important: even a small number of extra cases per year translates into measurably safer surgery. Four to eight cases per year is 'high volume' for this disease. If your local hospital does one mesothelioma surgery every few years, the data strongly supports seeking a second opinion at a specialty center."

— Anna Jackson, Director of Patient Support, Danziger & De Llano

What Questions Should Patients Ask When Choosing a Mesothelioma Treatment Center?

Based on the published evidence, patients and families should ask prospective treatment centers [13] these specific questions:

1. "How many mesothelioma cases does your program treat per year?" — The volume-outcome data shows this matters for surgical safety [1]
2. "What are your published survival outcomes for my mesothelioma type and stage?" — Centers with published data are demonstrating transparency and accountability
3. "Does your team include a thoracic surgeon who specializes in mesothelioma?" — General thoracic surgeons may not have mesothelioma-specific technique experience
4. "What clinical trials are you currently enrolling for?" — Access to investigational therapies like CAR-T cell therapy or novel immunotherapy combinations may only be available at select centers
5. "Do you have a multidisciplinary tumor board that reviews mesothelioma cases?" — Treatment decisions should involve thoracic surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and pathology

Patients should also understand that choosing a treatment center and pursuing legal options are not competing priorities — both can proceed simultaneously. An experienced attorney can help navigate the treatment decision while also ensuring that trust fund claims and legal filings meet their time-sensitive deadlines. Take our free case assessment to understand your compensation options.

"I tell every family the same thing: don't rush the treatment decision, but don't delay the legal one. Statutes of limitations don't pause while you're getting a second opinion. We can help with both tracks at the same time."

— Anna Jackson, Director of Patient Support, Danziger & De Llano

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best hospital for mesothelioma treatment?

There is no single best hospital — the right center depends on your mesothelioma type, stage, and treatment goals. For pleural mesothelioma surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Mount Sinai have published the largest peer-reviewed outcome data. Mount Sinai reported 0% 30-day mortality in 71 P/D patients (2015–2021) [3]. For peritoneal mesothelioma, Washington Cancer Institute and the Milan National Cancer Institute report median survival exceeding 5 years with CRS/HIPEC [8][9].

Does hospital volume affect mesothelioma survival rates?

Yes. A National Cancer Database analysis of 1,307 surgical patients found high-volume facilities had significantly lower 90-day mortality (10.0%) compared to lower-volume facilities (14.6%) [1]. High-volume centers also had shorter hospitalizations and fewer 30-day readmissions. The overall survival gap (18 vs. 15 months) was not statistically significant after adjustment, suggesting the primary benefit is safer surgery rather than dramatically different long-term outcomes.

What is pleurectomy decortication and why do top hospitals prefer it?

Pleurectomy decortication (P/D) is a lung-sparing surgery that removes the diseased pleural lining while preserving the lung. A 663-patient multi-institutional study found P/D had 4% operative mortality compared to 7% for EPP, with a 40% lower hazard of death in multivariate analysis [2]. Most leading mesothelioma centers have shifted from EPP to P/D as their primary approach.

Which hospitals offer CAR-T cell therapy for mesothelioma?

Memorial Sloan Kettering leads CAR-T research for mesothelioma under Dr. Prasad Adusumilli. The phase I trial combining mesothelin-targeted CAR T cells with pembrolizumab achieved median survival of 23.9 months with 83% one-year survival [6]. A follow-up trial with higher-dose CAR T cells is ongoing. The NCI Clinical Center in Bethesda also conducts mesothelin-targeted immunotherapy trials [11].

What should I look for when choosing a mesothelioma treatment center?

Five key indicators: (1) published peer-reviewed outcomes data with transparent case volumes, (2) NCI-designated cancer center status, (3) active mesothelioma clinical trials, (4) a dedicated mesothelioma program rather than general oncology, and (5) a multidisciplinary team with mesothelioma-experienced surgeons, oncologists, and pathologists. Ask how many mesothelioma cases the center treats annually.

What is CRS/HIPEC for peritoneal mesothelioma?

CRS/HIPEC combines cytoreductive surgery (removal of all visible tumor) with heated chemotherapy circulated directly through the abdomen. The Milan National Cancer Institute's 108-patient series reported 63.2-month median survival with complete cytoreduction and a 43.6% potential cure fraction at 7+ years of follow-up [9]. Wake Forest's 111-patient series showed 39-month median survival with 2.7% 30-day mortality [10].

How do I get a second opinion at a mesothelioma specialty center?

Contact the center's mesothelioma program coordinator directly. You will typically need pathology slides, imaging studies, and treatment records sent ahead. Many centers now offer virtual second opinions. An experienced mesothelioma attorney can also help connect patients with specialty centers, as law firms that handle mesothelioma cases maintain relationships with leading treatment programs.

What Sources Were Used for This Article?

Peer-Reviewed Clinical Studies

1. Simone CB et al. "Facility volume and outcomes in malignant pleural mesothelioma surgery." Lung Cancer. 2018. PMID: 29748018.
2. Flores RM et al. "Extrapleural pneumonectomy versus pleurectomy/decortication in the surgical management of malignant pleural mesothelioma: results in 663 patients." Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2008. PMID: 18329481.
3. Flores RM et al. "P/D for mesothelioma: 71 patients, 0% 30-day mortality." Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2026. Mount Sinai / Tisch Cancer Center.
4. Friedberg JS et al. "Radical pleurectomy and intraoperative photodynamic therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma." Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2017. PMID: 27825687.
5. Richards WG, Sugarbaker DJ et al. "Long-term survival after EPP for epithelioid mesothelioma: 529 patients." Annals of Surgery. 2014. PMID: 25203873.
6. Adusumilli PS et al. "Phase I trial of mesothelin-targeted CAR T cells with pembrolizumab." Cancer Discovery. 2021. PMC8563385.
7. Baas P et al. "Nivolumab plus ipilimumab in unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (CheckMate 743)." The Lancet. 2021. PMID: 33485464.
8. Sugarbaker PH. "CRS/HIPEC for diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma." Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. 2003. PMID: 14567020.
9. Baratti D, Deraco M et al. "Complete CRS/HIPEC for diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma." Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2013. PMID: 23831335.
10. Votanopoulos KI et al. "Peritoneal mesothelioma CRS-HIPEC: 28-year experience." Journal of Surgical Oncology. 2023. PMC10249750.
11. Hassan R et al. "Amatuximab plus pemetrexed/cisplatin for unresectable MPM." Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2014. PMID: 25231400.
12. Opitz I et al. "Long-term survivors after pleurectomy/decortication: multi-center international analysis." Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2025. PMID: 39447855.

Government and Institutional Sources

• National Cancer Institute. "Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment — Patient Version." cancer.gov.
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. "Asbestos Health Effects." atsdr.cdc.gov.

Related Articles

• How to Evaluate Mesothelioma Treatment Centers: 4 Criteria That Predict 20% Better Survival — How to compare centers by volume, specialization, and outcomes data
• Best Mesothelioma Cancer Centers: 12 NCI-Designated Hospitals in 2026 — NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers