This month we are featuring an expert in peritoneal mesothelioma from the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. David L. Bartlett, is the Vice Chairman for the Surgical Oncology and Gastrointestinal Services, Director of the David C. Koch Regional Perfusion Cancer Therapy Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In addition to being the Director of the Multidisciplinary Disease Site Clinical and Research Programs for the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Dr. Bartlett is also the Bernard Fisher Professor of Surgery University of Pittsburg School of Medicine.
Dr. Bartlett received his undergraduate degree at Rice University in Houston. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas. He completed a residency in general surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, and a fellowship in surgical oncology at Sloan- Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He is board- certified in general surgery. An expert in cancers of the abdominal cavity, he has helped to pioneer the delivery of chemotherapy directly to the peritoneal cavity. His research includes new treatments for abdominal carcinomas. He is the principal investigator in the Clinical Trial aDC1 Vaccine +Chemokine Modulatory Regimen (CKM) as Adjuvant Treatment of Peritoneal Surface Malignancies.
Dr. Bartlett has been at the forefront of research for peritoneal mesothelioma. Mesothelioma presents in two different areas of the body for most people. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the tissue surrounding the lung and abdominal cavity. Pleural mesothelioma is when the disease appears along the lining of the lung, peritoneal mesothelioma is when the disease is around the lining of the abdomen. In the U.S., there are approximately 500 – 600 patients diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma per year.
As an expert in peritoneal mesothelioma, he has combined new therapies to help with patients who have often been told there are no options. He was one of the pioneers of the development of regional chemotherapy administered to the peritoneal cavity. This procedure called HIPEC is Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemoperfusion. Dr. Bartlett also is focused on gene therapy and the possibilities of combing therapies for a longer survival and improved quality of life for his patients.
He leads a multidisciplinary team whose goals are to improve the lives and survival of patients with abdominal malignancies.
Dr. Bartlett is a member of many prestigious organizations including the American Medical Association, American Society of Gene Therapy and the American Association for Cancer Research. He has published extensively.
The entire mesothelioma community is grateful to have a doctor of Dr. Bartlett’s stature advocating for mesothelioma patients.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
This past weekend I had the honor of attending the Army- Navy football game. Although Army won, it was an experience of a lifetime. As we observed American finest young men and women in the prime of their young lives, healthy, it seemed like a foreign thought that some of them in the future could become victims of mesothelioma by simply choosing to serve their country.
There is a beautiful place in Montana in the northwestern area named Libby. The description from the City of Libby web site speaks for itself. ” Libby Montana, is a uniquely located town in northwestern Montana where the Cabinet Mountains meet the Kootenai River. Surrounded by the public lands of the Kootenai National Forest, Libby offers pristine lakes, rivers and mountain trails unencumbered by the crowds of people you would encounter anywhere in the lower 48 states. Down hill skiing options are some of the most varied in all the Northern Rockies with four to choose from in a less than 2- hour drive. Nordic skiers can explore the solitude of the back country or enjoy groomed trails with evening skiing. Rivers and streams are filled with native fish that reproduce freely and don’t need to be restocked. Local guides float the Kootenai with fly fisherman from all over the world. Hiking trails include 1400 miles of moderate to strenuous hikes that follow huckleberry laden hills to breathtaking views of the Cabinet peaks.” The description goes on to describe an idyllic place for all seasons.
Dr. Raja Flores is the Chairman of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He is also the Steven and Ann Ames professor in Thoracic surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Flores specializes in the treatment and research for mesothelioma. He has published extensively on mesothelioma and other thoracic conditions. Dr. Flores is the Principal Investigator of the Libby Epidemiology Research Program, a 4.8 million R01 grant funded by the Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The major goal of this research project is to focus on questions regarding the consequences of one’s health in regard to asbestos exposure.
