Allegheny General Hospital
The Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh possess a uniquely qualified group of professionals specializing in medical and radiation oncology, thoracic and abdominal surgery, gastroenterology, pathology, nutrition and supportive care. These areas allow for an unparalleled treatment of severe forms of mesothelioma.
Dr. Lana Schumacher, a thoracic surgeon and lung disease expert, primarily works on pleural mesothelioma cases.
The Esophageal and Lung Institute embodies a familial environment tailored to maximize care and comfort in the treatment of pleural mesothelioma. Patients are enabled to interact with a various medical professionals to meet their specific needs in one, multifaceted location.
This superb structure allows for seamless collaboration between doctors in regards to the unique treatment and interdisciplinary care each patient deserves.
This facility focuses on many serious afflictions such as esophageal disorders, motility diseases and dysplasia. Lung diseases including cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma are another primary focus of the institute.
As noted, the institute takes pride in its individualized approach for each of its patients different needs. Mesothelioma is too frequently and insensitively approached in a generic, ineffective manner.
“My approach to patient care when I meet a new patient is really to educate them on the disease process they are seeing me for. So when they leave my office, they are very well informed and can make educated decisions on what their next step will be,” Schumacher stated. “Fortunately, in [thoracic surgery], you can make a real difference in their lives.”
Allegheny empowers its patents with many of the most cutting edge procedures, such as the intricate surgical debulking and hyperthermic chemoperfusion for pleural mesothelioma patients. This intensive process surgically removes all tumors and other forms of visible cancer before a complete showering of the chest with a chemotherapy formula.
Allegheny General Hospital is the sole location for all intensive procedures, despite having multiple sister addresses.
Due to the tremendous work of Jobe, Schumacher and Schiffman, the Allegheny Health Network has begun collaborations with Highmark Insurance, bringing rapid growth to the institution and a greater health care benefits to its patients. These specialists are known for their innovative research and treatment plans for esophageal disease. They take joy in their work and pushing the limitations of modern medicine and science to help those afflicted with serious illness. The surgical practitioners work closely with an extensive research team to advance the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Schiffman joined Allegheny in 2014 and specializes in hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for those suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma. She frequently pairs this procedure with cytoreductive surgery, that aims to diligently remove the totality of the visible cancer cells from the abdomen. From there, a chemotherapy solution gently showers the abdomen for up to two hours to remove any trace amount of cancer cells. This procedure can only be performed at a select number of locations around the world and has been proven as one of the most success treatment methods, extending life for over a decade in many cases.
Detection and diagnosis of disease is also a primary focus of Allegheny. With numerous programs aimed at providing a quick and accurate diagnosis, Allegheny is able to give patients multiple treatment plans allowing them to create the best path forward. The Esophageal and Lung Institute is one of many focused services in the Allegheny Health Network, such as the Cancer and Cardiovascular institutes.