About the Mario Lemieux Center for Blood Cancers

The Mario Lemieux Center for Blood Cancers draws upon both decades of experience and the latest therapies and research to deliver comprehensive care to people with all types and stages of:

• Leukemia.
• Lymphoma.
• Multiple myeloma.
• Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
• Myeloproliferative disorder (MPD)
• Systemic Amyloidosis

Why We’re Different

As part of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in western Pennsylvania, the Mario Lemieux Center for Blood Cancers takes a collaborative, research-driven approach to blood cancer care and combines the latest therapies with a host of supportive services to help make the most of your treatment.

Collaborative Care

Our team of blood cancer experts works with you, your doctor, and other UPMC experts to determine the best treatment options for your blood cancer. We discuss your case as a group and use our broad expertise to present you with a truly individualized plan that may include advanced therapies and clinical trials depending on your diagnosis, severity of disease, general health, and other factors.

The Latest Therapies and Research

At our center, you will have access to the full spectrum of the newest treatment options, including stem cell transplantation and innovative T-cell immunotherapies to treat your blood cancer. You may also be offered expanded treatment options through a large array of clinical trials. We are a collaborator and leader for pharmaceutical industry-sponsored trials investigating chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies for treatment-resistant and relapsed lymphoma and leukemia. Our researchers also are developing new applications for CAR T cells, with a focus on improving and optimizing their use.

Convenience

Our location at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center lets you receive advanced treatment for blood cancer in the comfort of an outpatient setting, with the safety of close proximity to UPMC Shadyside. During your appointments, our team escorts you to a private treatment area and delivers all your care, including your blood work and physical exam, to you right there in one place.

Supportive Services

Our center has many services available to support you and your family during your treatment and recovery. Visit our video library to learn about our unique approach to treating blood cancers. Take advantage of our supportive programs and services that can help minimize your side effects and maximize your quality of life during treatment. These include:

• Behavioral medicine — psychologists and psychiatrists who help you cope with the challenges of blood cancer.
• Nutrition for blood cancer — nutritionists who design an eating plan to help you regain strength or maintain your weight.
• Pain management — pain experts who work with your care team to relieve pain from your condition and treatments.
• Social support — social workers who help you manage the practical aspects of living with blood cancer and connect you and your family with a network of peers who are going through the same experience.
• Transfusion therapy — services that import healthy blood cells or platelets to help your body replace cells destroyed by disease or treatment.
• Palliative care —services that can relieve symptoms to improve your quality of life.
• Interpreters — translators who help global blood cancer patients and their families understand complex treatment information in their own languages.