Thoracic surgeon Dr. Robert Cameron, a mesothelioma specialist from UCLA Medical Center, pioneered the P/D surgery more than 20 years ago. Before that, a pleurectomy was commonly performed as a palliative measure for pleural mesothelioma patients because it reduced the buildup of fluid around a lung and alleviated pain. Surgical advancements in decortication and Dr. Cameron's work led to pairing the two procedures.
Dr. Cameron is the driving force behind the Pacific Mesothelioma Center and has campaigned to make P/D the standard of care for early-stage pleural mesothelioma.