H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute

What Is Moffitt Cancer Center Known For?

The Moffitt Cancer Center is known as one of the nation’s top cancer treatment and research centers for mesothelioma and other diseases. Although patients have access to several treatment centers across Florida, Moffitt, is considered one of the United States’ largest cancer treatment centers, offering 13 specialty programs.

Since its opening in 1986, Moffitt has treated more than 200,000 patients, including advanced therapies and treatments for over 100 sites of cancer. Its conventional mesothelioma program, established in 2012, has extended the lives of thousands of patients.

About 3,000 mesothelioma patients receive care at the Moffitt Cancer Center each year. Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, develops in the thin layer of tissues (known as the mesothelium) that covers several internal organs. Mesothelioma develops after prolonged exposure to asbestos, a toxin used for much of the 20th century. The most common sites of mesothelioma development include the thoracic cavity and the abdomen. In rarer cases, mesothelioma may develop in the tissues surrounding the heart.

Other top programs at the cancer center involve the treatment of:

• Bladder Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Cervical Cancer
• Colorectal Cancer
• Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Melanoma
• Myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
• Ovarian Cancer
• Pancreatic Cancer

Cancer Center Treatment Options

The Florida hospital system offers unique treatment options at all stages of cancer. Patients receive integrated, multidisciplinary care from a team of doctors, nurses, and patient advocates during each step of the cancer journey.

There are several treatment options available for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. The most common treatments used to treat mesothelioma include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. Doctors at Moffitt Cancer Center may administer these treatments together or separately depending on the patient’s age, overall health, and specific type of cancer. Successful treatment improves the patient’s quality of life and stops or prevents mesothelioma metastasis.

The Moffitt radiation oncology program includes a collaboration of radiation oncologists, dosimetrists, radiation therapists, physicists, nursing specialists, and supportive care professionals. The surgical oncology program at Moffitt offers mesothelioma treatments such as an omentectomy to remove cancerous tissues in the abdomen.

Top Surgeons and Specialists at Moffitt

Several internationally renowned mesothelioma doctors and specialists make up the Moffitt Cancer Center’s multidisciplinary team. Moffitt combines the efforts of experienced surgeons, medical oncologies, and radiologists to diagnose and treat mesothelioma.

Medical Oncologists

• Jhanelle Gray, MD
• Alberto Chiappori, MD
• Ben Creelan, MD
• Bruna Pellini, MD
• Michael Shafique, MD
• Tawee Tanvetyanon, MD
• Andreas Saltos, MD

Thoriacic Oncologists

• Jobelle Baldonado, MD
• Jacques Fontaine, MD
• Bob Keenan, MD
• Lary Robinson, MD
• Eric Toloza, MD

Radiation Oncologists

• Thomas Dilling, MD
• Bradford Perez, MD
• Stephen Rosenberg, MD

Other top mesothelioma doctors in the United States include Dr. Paul Sugarbaker, Dr. Raja Flores, and Dr. Robert Cameron.

Florida Cancer Center Hospital Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that determine the safety and efficacy of new treatments. These studies help develop new cancer treatments for the general public and are often recommended by doctors in certain cases. In a given year, Moffitt researchers are typically involved in nearly 500 clinical trials. Clinical trials help improve the life expectancy of hundreds of patients.

As of July 2022, there are two mesothelioma clinical trials at the Moffitt Cancer Center. Researchers in one trial will use DuRvalumab (MEDI4736) with chemotherapy as first-line treatment in advanced pleural mesothelioma. Researchers will examine if the Phase III trial meets its objective of improving overall survival in patients with pleural mesothelioma. Dr. Tawee Tanvetyanon serves as the principal investigator leading the study.

A Phase II study led by Alberto Chiappori will evaluate the use of immunotherapy drugs Nivolumab and Ramucirumab in patients with previously-treated mesothelioma. Researchers will examine how long a mesothelioma patient can live without cancer progression.

Do You Need a Referral To Go?

You don’t need a referral to make an appointment at Moffitt Cancer Center. Mesothelioma patients can start the process by speaking with a patient services specialist or completing the hospital system’s new patient registration form.

The first step to scheduling your appointment is to contact the Patient Appointment Center to speak with a Patient Services Specialist. Prior to seeing a doctor, the Moffitt cancer hospital in Tampa needs to verify a diagnosis, insurance, and medical records.

The support team at Moffitt includes physician liaisons to work with outside healthcare providers when patients would like to be referred to one of the Moffitt Cancer Center mesothelioma specialists. Liaisons also provide clinical trial information and facility tours.

Cancer Center Locations in Florida

Back in the 1970s, former Florida state representative and cancer survivor, Houston Lee Moffitt, pushed for quality cancer care in the Tampa area. Now, residents can access care from one of the top cancer centers in Florida at several locations. Through partnerships with other healthcare systems, including Memorial Healthcare Systems and AdventHealth, Moffitt is quickly growing its influence in cancer treatment and research.

Moffitt operates in several locations throughout the Tampa Bay area. Treatment centers in Tampa, Pembroke Pines, and Wesley Chapel serve as the center’s core clinical locations. The main research facility, expanding nearly 200,000 feet opened in 1995 next to the University of South Florida Campus.

The Moffitt Cancer Center address and zip codes of each location are:

Moffitt Cancer Center Magnolia Campus

12902 USF Magnolia Drive Tampa, FL 33612

(813) 745-4673

Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Outpatient Center at McKinley Campus

10920 N. McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL 33612

(813) 745-4673

Moffitt Cancer Center at Wesley Chapel

Healing Plaza Building, Suites 100 & 200, 2590 Healing Way, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544

1-888-663-3488

International Plaza

4101 Jim Walter Blvd. Tampa, FL 33607

(813) 745-1600

Fowler Campus

4117 E Fowler Ave. Tampa, FL 33617

(813) 745-3980

Moffitt Malignant Hematology & Cellular Therapy at Memorial Healthcare System

801 N. Flamingo Road Pembroke Pines, FL 33028

1-954-265-4325

Moffitt Business Center

12653 Telecom Drive Tampa, FL 33637

(813) 745-4673

Terrace Park

3000 University Center Drive, Tampa, FL 33612

(813) 745-4673