Finding a mesothelioma specialist and treatment center

Why experience matters

Mesothelioma can be hard to tell apart from other cancers under the microscope, and some treatments, such as extensive chest surgery or cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC, are done regularly at only a limited number of hospitals. NCI's treatment summary describes plans built by a team, often combining surgery, drug treatment, and radiation, with clinical trials as an option. A center that sees many cases is more likely to have a pathologist, surgeon, medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist who work together on mesothelioma.

Questions to ask a specialist

1. How many people with mesothelioma does your team see each year?
2. Will a pathologist here review my biopsy slides? What subtype do you see?
3. Am I a candidate for surgery? If not, why not?
4. Which drug treatments do you recommend, and what are the goals?
5. Are there clinical trials I qualify for now, or that I might lose eligibility for after other treatment?
6. Who coordinates my care with my local doctor?
7. Can I see palliative care for symptoms at the same time?

NCI-designated cancer centers

The National Cancer Institute designates cancer centers that meet its standards. "Comprehensive" centers also show depth in research across many areas. The list below includes every clinical and comprehensive center on NCI's list as of its June 10, 2026 update. It leaves out NCI's "basic laboratory" centers, which do research but do not treat patients. Each name links to the center's profile page on cancer.gov, which links on to the center itself.

NCI designation does not mean a center specializes in mesothelioma. Call and ask about its mesothelioma program.

South Carolina

Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston is the only NCI-designated cancer center in South Carolina. Nearby options in neighboring states include Duke Cancer Institute, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (North Carolina), and Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University (Georgia). See our South Carolina page.

Help paying for travel and care

Many centers have social workers and financial counselors who can help with lodging, travel, and insurance questions. NCI's Cancer Information Service answers questions at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). Veterans can call VA Health Benefits at 1-877-222-8387.

A note on this list

We do not accept payment from hospitals, and no hospital on this page is an advertiser. If a center's designation changes, NCI's list is the authority; we re-check it when we review this page.