Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City holds onto the No. 2 spot again, praised for its research advances and patient outcomes. Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center and Mayo Clinic Rochester held onto the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, respectively. Massachusetts General Hospital climbed to No. 5.

U.S. News’s evaluation process considered patient outcomes, hospital structure and process, expert opinion, patient experience and transparency. These rankings help people diagnosed with cancer find hospitals with strong safety records, skilled specialty teams and access to services such as hospice and palliative care.

“Rankings like these can give patients and families a helpful starting point when they’re looking at their options after a mesothelioma diagnosis. They can highlight hospitals with strong cancer programs and help people learn more about the specialists and resources available there,” Jose Ortiz, medical outreach liaison at The Mesothelioma Center, shares with us. “Our Medical Outreach team can help patients explore those options and connect them with experienced mesothelioma specialists at many of these renowned cancer centers.”

Top 10 Cancer Hospitals

Following the top 5, Johns Hopkins Hospital ranked No. 6 in the 2026-2027 cancer hospital rankings. The remaining hospitals in the top 10 bring highly ranked cancer programs to several regions of the country, from Baltimore and Philadelphia to Chicago, Palo Alto and San Francisco. Mount Sinai Hospital and UCSF Medical Center tied for the No. 10 spot this year.

Top 10 Cancer Hospitals

1. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
2. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City
3. Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston
4. Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota
5. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
6. Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
7. Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian, Philadelphia
8. Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago
9. Stanford Hospital at Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, California
10. (Tie) Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, and UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco

These cancer centers offer access to advanced treatments, clinical trials and specialists who treat complex cancers. For people with mesothelioma, a hospital’s experience with rare cancers can be an important factor when choosing where to pursue care. These rankings and NCI designations give patients and families additional information to consider when evaluating mesothelioma treatment plan with more confidence. 

Cancer Hospitals Ranked 12 to 20

Northwestern Memorial Hospital now holds the top cancer ranking in Illinois, while the University of Chicago Medical Center ranks No. 15 nationally. The University of Chicago is one of several major cancer centers in this group with extensive experience treating complex cancers.

The Next 10 Hospitals

12. City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
13. New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, New York City
14. Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Hospitals, New York City
15. University of Chicago Medical Center
16. Cleveland Clinic
17. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
18. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles
19. Houston Methodist Hospital
20. UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

The 12 to 20 rankings include several major cancer centers with extensive experience treating complex cancers. The group includes both dedicated cancer centers and large academic hospitals, reflecting the range of programs that U.S. News recognizes for cancer care.

2026-2027 Best Hospitals Honor Roll

U.S. News & World Report also released its yearly Best Hospitals Honor Roll, which recognizes hospitals for excellence across a wide range of specialties, procedures and conditions. Unlike the cancer rankings, the Honor Roll looks at a hospital’s performance across many areas of care, so some hospitals appear on both lists.

Mayo Clinic-Rochester, for example, ranked No. 4 for cancer care and also earned a place on the Honor Roll. Mayo Clinic-Florida in Jacksonville made its first appearance on the Honor Roll, while Cleveland Clinic, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles also returned to the list this year.

2026-2027 Honor Roll Hospitals

• Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston
• Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles
• Cleveland Clinic
• Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Houston Methodist Hospital
• Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
• Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
• Mayo Clinic-Arizona, Phoenix
• Mayo Clinic-Florida, Jacksonville
• Mayo Clinic-Rochester, Minnesota
• Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City
• New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, New York City
• Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago
• NYU Langone Hospitals, New York City
• Rush University Medical Center, Chicago
• Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital, Palo Alto, California
• UC San Diego Health-La Jolla, San Diego
• UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, Los Angeles
• UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco
• University of Michigan Health-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor

This list spotlights hospitals that deliver excellent care across a wide range of conditions, not just one specialty. That approach helps people find hospitals suited to complex health needs, especially when they’re facing a serious diagnosis like mesothelioma.

The 2026-2027 Honor Roll includes 20 hospitals from across the country. Facilities from Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas all earned this distinction. U.S. News lists Honor Roll hospitals alphabetically rather than by rank, since each one excels across many areas of care.

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The case traces back to February 2023, when Boulder homeowners Megan Rux and Jason Lustbader planned a basement renovation. An asbestos inspection required for the project found asbestos levels above the state’s 1% limit. 

Nine months pregnant, Rux, along with Lustbader, hired Roberts to handle the asbestos abatement work. Roberts told the homeowners he’d completed the abatement and the space was safe to use again.

“This story is a horrifying example of fraud resulting in significant public health hazards,” Dr. Shannon L. Fitzgerald, a toxicologist and pharmacist, tells us. “It’s a crime worse than mere theft.”

Investigators Say Roberts Forged an Asbestos Clearance Report

Prosecutors say Roberts improperly performed the removal work and left the basement contaminated with asbestos. He allegedly gave the family a forged clearance report to convince them he’d ensured the space met safety standards.

Records from the Denver-Arapahoe Disposal Site show the facility never received hazardous waste tied to the project, despite Roberts’ claim that he’d disposed of the asbestos there. Rux told investigators she noticed several warning signs during the job, including debris trails leading from the basement to Roberts’ disposal trailer and gaps in the plastic sheeting meant to contain the contaminated area.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment inspected the basement in August 2023 and called it a “major asbestos spill.” Roberts collected $8,400 for the work and stopped responding to the family once they discovered the space still wasn’t safe. The couple then paid an additional $17,736.52 for a licensed company to properly remediate the basement.

Roberts Faces Multiple Felony Charges

Prosecutors charged Roberts with causing and contributing to a hazardous substance incident, a class 4 felony. He was also charged with 2 counts of forgery and 1 count of theft, all class 5 felonies. Authorities arrested him in Larimer County, and he posted $5,000 bail on July 22, 2026. 

Attorney General Weiser says the charges reflect the broader trust homeowners place in licensed contractors during renovation projects. He believes people who break that trust need to face accountability.

Anyone who suspects a contractor performed asbestos work without proper certification should report the issue to their state’s environmental or public health agency. People who spent time in the home during or after an improper abatement should tell their health care provider about the potential asbestos exposure.

Health Risks From Asbestos in Homes

Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma, and also causes lung cancer and asbestosis. Dr. Fitzgerald tells us families who discover asbestos in their home should act quickly. She recommends leaving the affected area, avoiding further contact with debris, changing clothes before leaving the space and washing skin thoroughly, depending on how much exposure occurred.  She says an independent, third-party industrial hygienist should test the home’s air quality before anyone moves back in. 

Dr. Fitzgerald also tells us asbestos fibers can settle into carpets, upholstery, mattresses, stuffed animals and other soft materials, making them difficult or impossible to clean completely. “A painful realization for families in this situation is that they may have to discard substantial amounts of soft personal property,” she says. 

Asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop after initial exposure. People who inhale asbestos fibers today may not see symptoms until much later in life. She says, “once inhaled, there is unfortunately no remedy for removing asbestos fibers.” Worrying about the possibility of cancer and other serious illnesses over long periods of time can cause anxiety. Dr. Fitzgerald recommends in addition to discussing screening and monitoring with their doctor, considering mental health support. 

Dr. Fitzgerald says doctors should log exposure details like dates, duration and proximity to the contaminated area in each family member’s medical chart. A doctor may perform a chest exam, lung function tests and a baseline chest X-ray. 

Verifying a Contractor’s Credentials 

What happened to Megan Rux and Jason Lustbader shows why finding a trustworthy, certified contractor matters so much for asbestos work, according to Dr. Fitzgerald. She recommends that homeowners verify a contractor’s certification directly through their state government’s website or the EPA, rather than relying only on paperwork the contractor provides. 

She also suggests calling testing laboratories directly to confirm that any clearance reports are legitimate before trusting that a space is safe. Dr. Fitzgerald explains that risk increases the longer asbestos exposure continues and the more concentrated it becomes. 

“In toxicology, the dose-response curve climbs with duration and concentration,” she shares. “This contractor ensured prolonged, repetitive exposure to a family that trusted him.”

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The cases come as J&J works to settle tens of thousands of talc claims through a proposed $5.5 billion agreement. The company has continued to face individual lawsuits while it seeks approval for the broader settlement.

The proposed settlement doesn’t prevent new lawsuits from being filed or existing cases from moving forward. J&J must still secure the required approval before the agreement can resolve the broader group of claims.

Missouri Woman Sues J&J Over Baby Powder and Ovarian Cancer

The plaintiff filed the suit Aug. 3 in Jackson County Circuit Court. It also names Imerys Talc America, the company that mined and supplied the talc used in the company’s baby powder.

She applied the company’s baby powder to her perineum regularly from 1976 to 2017. Doctors diagnosed her with ovarian cancer in 2017, when she was 59 years old and had no other risk factors for the disease. She didn’t learn about a possible link between talc and ovarian cancer until 2024, and the lawsuit argues that timeline makes her claim timely under Missouri law.

The lawsuit brings 7 counts against J&J and Imerys, including strict liability for failure to warn, negligence, breach of warranty and civil conspiracy. It accuses J&J of marketing its talc products as safe despite research linking talc use to ovarian cancer. A 1982 study found women who regularly used talc in the perineal area faced a 92% higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Her diagnosis led to several surgeries, including a procedure to remove as much of the cancerous tissue as possible. She also faced ongoing medical bills and significant pain and suffering from the illness. The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $25,000.

Louisiana Jury Awards $10 Million in Talc Mesothelioma Case

A Louisiana jury awarded $10 million to the family of Lynne Roy, a New Orleans woman who died in 2020 from mesothelioma after decades of exposure to talc products. The trial took place in the Civil District Court for Orleans Parish and lasted 3 weeks before the jury reached its verdict.

The jury concluded that Roy had regular, significant exposure to asbestos from products J&J manufactured or sold and that this exposure was a significant cause of her mesothelioma. Jurors also found the company negligent and determined its products were unreasonably dangerous, largely because J&J failed to warn consumers about possible asbestos contamination.

The total award included $8 million for Roy’s physical pain, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. Her daughters, Melissa Kaiser and Melanie Roy, each received $1 million for the loss of their mother. The lawyer for the Roy family said her daughters waited more than 6 years for their day in court, largely because of J&J’s previous bankruptcy attempts to resolve its talc litigation.

The jury also found several other defendants, including other talc companies, responsible for contributing to Roy’s death. J&J’s individual share of the verdict came to just over $1.2 million.

Johnson & Johnson’s Ongoing Legal Battle Over Talc

Despite J&J’s ongoing denials that its talc products contained asbestos and caused cancer, it stopped selling talc-based products globally in 2023 and recently offered $5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of talc lawsuits. That offer still needs approval from 95% of the law firms representing claimants before the company can move forward with any payouts.

J&J previously tried a legal strategy called the “Texas Two-Step,” which involved creating a subsidiary to absorb the lawsuits and then filing that subsidiary for bankruptcy. A federal judge rejected the company’s most recent version of this plan in March 2025 and J&J said afterward it would litigate remaining cases individually.

J&J has yet to file a formal response to the Missouri petition and a hearing date also hasn’t been set. Meanwhile, the company faces additional talc trials in several other states over the coming months.

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District officials say the trouble started in July, when crews removed piping in the basement as part of an HVAC project. That work revealed asbestos and a subcontractor mishandled the toxic material and spread it throughout the building.

Deputy Superintendent of Operations Oz Hill addressed the issue directly at a recent meeting with Kensington families. “I would like to acknowledge and apologize for this unfortunate circumstance,” Hill said. He and other officials laid out what went wrong and where students will go while crews clean and repair the building, underscoring questions about the nation’s asbestos-in-schools safety system.

Union Says Oversight Failures Caused Shutdown 

Union leaders say better oversight could’ve kept a manageable problem from turning into a building-wide shutdown. Jerry Roseman, the union’s director of environmental science, visited Kensington High School over the summer and talked with people working inside the building.

Roseman says crews need to identify and safely move asbestos-containing materials out of the way before they start other renovation work. He calls the process straightforward and says the district missed a step somewhere along the line.

Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Arthur Steinberg says someone not certified to handle asbestos performed the removal in ‘a non-regulated way. He also says the district agreed to remove all the asbestos in the century-old building, not just the material the contractor damaged.

Students Face New Travel Challenges 

Austin Meehan Middle School has been empty since 2022. District officials say they chose the building because it has enough space for Kensington’s students and staff. It can also accommodate students with special needs.

However, the school is more than 7 miles from Kensington,a roughly 24-minute drive without traffic. To help manage the distance, the district plans to have 8 buses available beginning around 6:45 a.m. each school day for families to drop off students at Kensington’s closed building and shuttle them to Austin Meehan.

District officials held an in-person meeting recently and plan to offer families more opportunities to ask questions in the coming days. A virtual session and open houses will be held at Austin Meehan. Kensington Principal Dr. Jose Lebron says the district’s priority is keeping students and staff safe while working through the transition.

Asbestos a Persistent Problem in Philly Schools 

About 80% of Philadelphia’s school buildings date back to before 1980 when builders widely used asbestos products such as insulation, ceiling tiles and cement. Many schools now have aging materials that can release dangerous fibers with wear and tear like asbestos flooring. Renovations that damage asbestos products particularly pose a risk of asbestos exposure when proper precautions aren’t taken.

An independent review of Benjamin Franklin High School found a rushed construction timeline led officials to miss warning signs during a 2018-2019 renovation project that also exposed asbestos. And asbestos contamination forced 6 Philadelphia schools to close in 2023 alone. 

Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against the School District of Philadelphia in 2023 for its handling of asbestos in schools, marking the first case of its kind against a U.S. school district. The district entered a deferred prosecution agreement that requires compliance with federal asbestos rules for about 5 years. Officials say regular inspections continue across the district’s roughly 300 school buildings while that agreement stays in effect.

Philadelphia teacher Lea DiRusso taught in city schools for nearly 30 years before doctors diagnosed her with mesothelioma. The district settled her lawsuit for $850,000 in 2020. Frankford High School teacher Juan Namnun, who was diagnosed with papillary carcinoma, filed a similar lawsuit in 2024 over decades of asbestos exposure at the school.

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Uniroyal Holding filed for bankruptcy on July 31, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. Once tied to one of America’s largest tire and rubber companies, Uniroyal Holding no longer manufactures products and instead has spent decades handling legal claims tied to its former asbestos-containing products.

Two days later, Vi-Jon filed for bankruptcy on Aug. 2, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The private-label manufacturer faces lawsuits over asbestos-contaminated talc in body powder. Its products reached consumers under retailers’ own brand names, like Walmart’s Equate and Target’s Up & Up.

The separate filings highlight how companies can continue facing significant legal and financial liabilities long after the products at issue leave the market. Both companies plan to use the bankruptcy process to resolve current and future claims.

Decades of Claims Push Uniroyal Into Bankruptcy 

About 2,800 asbestos-related claims were pending in 1986, shortly after a 1985 corporate restructuring created Uniroyal Holding. In the more than 40 years since 1985, 516,656 personal injury and wrongful death claims have been filed against the company. 

It resolved 216,994 of them while paying just under $500 million, and courts dismissed another 264,232. More than 35,000 cases remain open. Company President and General Counsel Robert V. D’Angelo said in a court declaration that the caseload will become unmanageable once its small internal team retires.

Uniroyal Holding is now turning to Chapter 11 to address that decades-long caseload. The company filed July 31, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, listing $10 million to $50 million in assets against $50 million to $100 million in liabilities. It filed the case with subsidiary Great Hill Corporation and plans to establish an asbestos trust fund to handle current and future claims.

Uniroyal Holding traces its roots to Uniroyal Inc., which began in 1892 as the United States Rubber Company and grew into one of America’s largest tire and rubber companies. A 1985 reorganization split Uniroyal Inc.’s business among 6 subsidiaries, including Uniroyal Holding. The holding company took responsibility for retirement benefits for former Uniroyal employees and legal claims tied to the company’s asbestos-containing products.

Vi-Jon Turns to Bankruptcy as Talc Claims Multiply

Filings against Vi-Jon rose about 400% since 2023, and 28 law firms sued the company for the first time during that period. As of the day Vi-Jon filed for bankruptcy, 367 mesothelioma and lung cancer claims remained pending against the company. NERA Economic Consulting estimated Vi-Jon’s talc-related litigation at $720 million, up from earlier estimates of $59 million to $102 million. The increase reflected more claims, fewer dismissals and higher average settlement costs.

Two jury cases also added to Vi-Jon’s legal liabilities. A Minnesota jury awarded $10.2 million in Heyer v. A.H. Bennett Co. and assigned Vi-Jon 20% of the fault. The court also entered a separate judgment against Vi-Jon for about $16.8 million in Ludwig v. Sumitomo Corp. of Americas. Those cases account for most of the roughly $20 million in litigation judgments Vi-Jon now lists among its unsecured obligations.

Vi-Jon filed for Chapter 11 on Aug. 2, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The company entered bankruptcy with a Restructuring Support Agreement signed with Emprise, Emprise HPC and lawyers representing more than 75% of talc claimants. The agreement calls for current and future talc claims to move into a court-supervised trust under Section 524(g) of the federal bankruptcy code.

Vi-Jon’s history dates back to 1908, when the company started as a small St. Louis manufacturer and later shifted toward private-label products for national retailers. Its talc-based body powder reached consumers under retailers’ own brand names, like Walmart’s Equate and Target’s up & up. A 2006 merger with Cumberland Swan Holdings, Inc. brought another source of talc liability. Cumberland Swan had assumed that liability through a 1999 asset purchase.

How Vi-Jon’s Talc Claims Will Be Paid 

Vi-Jon filed for bankruptcy with a proposed settlement for current and future talc-related claims. If the bankruptcy court approves the plan, those claims would be resolved through a talc injury trust.

Where the Funding Comes From

• Cash: Emprise would contribute $25 million when the plan takes effect.
• Company payment: The reorganized Vi-Jon would provide a $1 million note.
• Insurance: The trust would receive Vi-Jon’s rights to certain insurance payments.
• Other assets: The trust could receive money from legal claims and the sale of Vi-Jon’s former St. Louis manufacturing plant.
• Future sale: Emprise Group would make an additional payment if it is sold or merged for $1 billion or more.

Lawyers representing more than 75% of claimants in talc lawsuits signed a Restructuring Support Agreement before Vi-Jon filed for bankruptcy. The agreement supports the proposed settlement and its funding plan.

Vi-Jon’s advisors expect the case to move quickly, with a targeted confirmation date about 110 days after the filing. If the court approves the plan, the talc injury trust would handle the company’s current and future talc-related claims.

What the Filings Mean for People With Asbestos-Related Diseases

Bankruptcy filings like these show why asbestos litigation continues decades after most companies stopped using the mineral. Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma can take several decades to develop after initial asbestos exposure, so new diagnoses continue to happen.

People with a confirmed asbestos-related diagnosis can pursue compensation through the bankruptcy trust system when the responsible company is no longer solvent. Settlement trusts like the ones proposed for Uniroyal Holding and Vi-Jon exist specifically to make sure future claims can be paid.

Anyone with questions about a pending or potential asbestos or talc claim can talk with a Patient Advocate who can connect them with vetted attorneys who handle cases like this. Experienced asbestos attorneys can ensure claims are processed correctly and on time.

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The therapy, called SynKIR-110, is a lab-engineered cell treatment designed to target mesothelin, a protein found on the surface of most mesothelioma tumor cells. The trial is open to patients with either pleural mesothelioma or peritoneal mesothelioma, as well as ovarian cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. Early results were presented this year at a major cancer research conference.

Dr. Janos Tanyi, the trial’s principal investigator and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, said the early data support continuing to study the approach. “These data are significant because patients with mesothelin-expressing solid tumors continue to face significant and urgent needs for better treatments,” he told us. 

Results So Far From STAR-101

Researchers found tumor shrinkage for 1 of 3 patients at the highest dose level of SynKIR-110 tested so far, classified as a partial response. That response was still ongoing after 3 months. The trial, known as STAR-101, is still working out the right dose, so enrollment and dose escalation are ongoing.

Pointing to the trial’s safety results specifically, Dr. Tanyi noted that only 3 out of 9 patients treated so far had mild cytokine release syndrome. This is a common and usually manageable side effect of cell therapies, and no patients had neurotoxicity. In the first nine patients treated, no dose-limiting side effects, no severe cytokine release syndrome and no neurotoxicity were reported.

How the Therapy Works

SynKIR-110 is built from a patient’s own T cells, a type of immune cell, which are collected, modified in a lab, then infused back into the patient. The modification trains those T cells to recognize and attack tumor cells that carry high levels of mesothelin, a protein overexpressed in mesothelioma and a small number of other cancers.

What sets this therapy apart from earlier CAR T-cell treatments is its design. Traditional CAR T-cells often wear out over time, a problem called T-cell exhaustion This particularly happens when fighting solid tumors like mesothelioma rather than blood cancers. SynKIR-110 uses a different signaling structure, borrowed in part from natural killer cells, intended to keep the T cells active longer.

How to Join the STAR-101 Clinical Trial

People with advanced pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma whose tumors express mesothelin, are eligible to enroll. Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, the University of Pennsylvania and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Dr. Mehmet Altan is a site investigator, are all enrolling patients. 

Additional sites nationwide are as well. The trial’s developer, Verismo Therapeutics, has continued to expand access to new locations as enrollment continues.

If you’re interested in more information or enrolling in the trial, a Patient Advocate or your mesothelioma doctor can help you. SynKIR-110 remains investigational. It isn’t an approved mesothelioma treatment yet.

Results of this clinical trial so far come from a small group of patients across the first few dose levels tested. Researchers are still determining the right dose to carry into further study. But early safety data without serious side effects, paired with a tumor response in a heavily pretreated cancer, is the kind of early signal that keeps a solid-tumor cell therapy trial worth watching.

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The proposal won’t take effect automatically. Law firms representing at least 95% of the remaining claimants need to accept the terms before the settlement could become final. This recent offer marks a shift in strategy for J&J, which spent years fighting claims related to ovarian cancer in civil court and through multiple bankruptcy filings. 

Attorney and consumer safety advocate Whitney Ray Di Bona shares with us, “For women who developed ovarian cancer after trusting a product they’d used their whole lives, this is long overdue.” Danielle DiPietro, a financial advocate, board-certified Patient Advocate and VA-accredited claims agent, says the proposed ovarian cancer settlement could bring relief to many affected families. She says, “This is a great step in the right direction and will help so many people receive compensation.” 

The company still denies that its talc products cause cancer. However, J&J says the settlement lets it move past the litigation and focus on its medical business instead.

Settlement Terms and Timeline

The proposed settlement covers personal injury lawsuits related to ovarian cancer filed in a federal multidistrict litigation in New Jersey. It also covers related cases in state courts across the country. An MDL combines similar lawsuits from different courts into one location, so a single judge can manage them more efficiently. J&J said the deal covers nearly all of its remaining talc-related ovarian cancer claims.

The payment schedule stretches over several years. J&J plans to pay up to $3 billion in 2027, and it won’t owe any additional money until 2028. Attorney Chris Seeger, who represents about 2,500 claimants and helped negotiate the deal, said the final payout has no cap and could reach $7 billion or more, depending on how many eligible people join the settlement.

This proposal covers only existing claims, not future ones. That’s a key difference from an earlier plan J&J tried through its subsidiary, Red River Talc, which sought bankruptcy protection to resolve talc claims through a single $10 billion deal. A bankruptcy court judge rejected that plan last year and J&J chose not to appeal. Instead, the company returned to civil court to keep fighting the remaining cases directly.

A Decade of Courtroom Battles

Ovarian cancer lawsuits against J&J date back to 2009, giving the company more than 15 years of litigation over its talc products. J&J has consistently denied that its talc-based products cause cancer or were asbestos-contaminated. 

J&J tried multiple times to resolve its talc liability through bankruptcy filings, a strategy critics call the “Texas two-step.” The company moved its talc liabilities into a subsidiary and then had that subsidiary file for bankruptcy, which can pause lawsuits while a settlement gets worked out. Courts dismissed 3 separate bankruptcy attempts before the Red River Talc proposal met the same fate last year.

Whitney DiBona tells us the settlement’s structure sets it apart from J&J’s earlier attempts. “This deal doesn’t come with a bankruptcy trick attached to it, and that’s exactly why it stands a real chance of getting across the finish line with the support it needs from plaintiffs’ firms.” 

Mesothelioma Talc Lawsuits

This new settlement only covers ovarian cancer claims. J&J’s litigation also includes a separate group of mesothelioma talc lawsuits. J&J says it has already resolved about 95% of those mesothelioma claims, but new cases continue to be filed and move through the courts. Several have produced historic verdicts over the past year.

Notable J&J Mesothelioma Verdicts

• $1.5 billion: A Baltimore jury awarded Cherie Craft, a Maryland woman diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, this verdict in December 2025, marking the largest single-plaintiff talc verdict on record.
• $966 million: A Los Angeles jury awarded the family of Mae K. Moore this verdict in October 2025, after Moore died from mesothelioma linked to talc-based baby powder.
• $32 million: A Los Angeles jury awarded the family of Maria Lozano this verdict in June 2026, after Lozano died from mesothelioma following decades of using J&J baby powder.

People who develop mesothelioma from asbestos-contaminated talc can still file talc lawsuits. Mesothelioma talc lawsuits remain active regardless of the ovarian cancer settlement outcome. 

Talc, Asbestos and Cancer Risk

Talc is a soft mineral that manufacturers grind into powder for cosmetic and personal care products. Talc deposits often form near asbestos deposits, creating a risk of cross-contamination during mining. 

Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma and also causes ovarian cancer and lung cancer. Lab tests found asbestos in J&J’s talc products from 1971 through the early 2000s and the company didn’t share those results with the Food and Drug Administration at the time.

The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada in 2020 and ended global sales of the product in 2023, switching to a cornstarch-based formula instead.

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The 2025 trial, known as the MARS2 trial, concluded that chemotherapy followed with lung-sparing surgery didn’t extend survival more than receiving chemo alone. Dr. Jeffrey Velotta, lead author of the consensus document, tells us fallout from that trial was swift.

“Referrals all of a sudden were stopping,” Dr. Velotta says. “All of a sudden everything mesothelioma just went off the face of the earth. We wouldn’t even get a chance to speak to these patients about the option of surgery. They weren’t even given that option anymore.”

The panel’s consensus, which the Society of Thoracic Surgeons has published, counters the idea that mesothelioma surgery doesn’t offer benefits. Their message is clear: Surgery offers benefits, but the key is it must be recommended for the right pleura patients, be done the right way and involve the right surgical team.

Why the Panel Came Together

Dr. Velotta doesn’t dismiss the MARS2 trial outright. He says it exposed a real gap in patient selection. Many people with pleural mesothelioma studied in the trial underwent surgery without a prior PET scan, so some had more advanced disease than doctors realized going in.

“They ended up operating on a lot of patients that were stages 3 or 4,” Dr. Velotta explains. “If they would have gotten a PET scan, they may not have needed surgery.” 

To push back against a blanket no-surgery stance, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons assembled 15 of the field’s most experienced mesothelioma specialists. The panel deliberately excluded surgeons with only occasional exposure to the rare cancer.

Why Lung-Sparing Surgery Now Comes First

The panel was unambiguous on one point: Surgery that spares the lung is the preferred approach. A pleurectomy/decortication removes the cancerous lining while leaving the lung in place.

Dr. Velotta shares the example of his early-stage patient, Lawanda Ultan, who tolerated the lung-sparing surgery well at 93 years old. He suggests it’s unlikely she would have had the same successful outcome with a more aggressive surgery.

The panel consensus leans toward a less aggressive version of even the preferred surgery. Surgeons have traditionally removed the diaphragm and the lining around the heart as routine. The panel now favors preserving both when possible.

“It’s harder on the surgeon, but better recovery for the patient,” Velotta tells us, adding that the shift changed his own approach. “Before this consensus, I’d be much more aggressive about removing the diaphragm.”

The panel was very clear on its position regarding the  operation that removes the entire lung, called extrapleural pneumonectomy. They said its use should be rare.

“When you remove everything, there’s just higher complication rates,” Dr. Velotta explains. “Patients don’t have as much reserve to recover, and they just do worse.”

Why a Full Medical Team and the Right Surgeon Matter

The consensus places heavy weight on multidisciplinary care. It also points patients toward doctors with specialized experience in mesothelioma treatment.

“Chemo and immunotherapy plus surgery does better, plus radiation potentially does better,” Dr. Velotta says. “You need everybody on your team on board.”

The panel’s advice on choosing a surgeon was pointed. A surgeon should specialize in mesothelioma specifically.

“It does not count if you’re a high volume thoracic surgeon, but you don’t do much mesothelioma,” Dr. Velotta clarifies. “We all agree that’s not a good evaluation of what kind of treatment that patient should get.”

Good surgical candidates, he said, tend to share a few traits: earlier-stage disease, the epithelioid cell type and strong physical function. “Are they walking around pretty good? Are they still driving?” he says, describing early signs of whether a patient might tolerate mesothelioma surgery.

What’s Still Unanswered

One major question remains open: Should chemo come before or after surgery? “There is no consensus,” Dr. Velotta says, pointing to a randomized trial that found no survival difference between the two sequences. 

Newer research isn’t expected to settle that question directly. Upcoming trials are instead testing chemo combined with immunotherapy before surgery, an approach that draws on lung cancer research.

“If those show benefits, there may be a push for chemo immunotherapy first, followed by surgery,” Dr. Velotta shares.

When to Seek a Second Opinion 

For patients newly diagnosed with mesothelioma, the takeaway is direct. Ask whether the surgeon evaluating you has significant mesothelioma-specific experience. Ask whether your case has gone before a full multidisciplinary team. And don’t assume a “no surgery” recommendation from a single specialist is the final word.

If a specialist doesn’t recommend surgery, patients can consider seeking a second opinion from a mesothelioma surgeon with experience treating the disease. The Mesothelioma Center’s Patient Advocates can help patients connect with specialists who can review their diagnosis and treatment options.

The post New Guidelines Say Surgery Benefits Select Mesothelioma Patients appeared first on Mesothelioma Center - Vital Services for Cancer Patients & Families.

The findings come from the same drug study from researchers at the University of Vermont and University of Leicester. It was published July 14 in Nature Communications.

Genetic Findings From the Study

• Tumors with changes in BAP1 and SETD2 genes responded significantly better to the drug in lab testing on patient tissue.
• Both genes are already frequently altered in mesothelioma.
• A separate gene, SLC7A11, appeared to help some tumor cells resist the drug.
• In the lab, combining RSO-021 with a compound that blocks SLC7A11 restored the cancer cells’ sensitivity to treatment.

None of this has been tested in patients yet. It comes from laboratory work on tumor tissue samples. If it holds up in larger studies, a simple genetic test could one day tell doctors who is most likely to benefit before treatment even begins.

How Researchers Tested Real Tumor Tissue

Rather than relying only on cells grown in a lab dish, researchers tested the drug on tissue taken directly from 22 mesothelioma patients during surgery. Small pieces of real tumor were treated with the drug and watched for signs of cell death.

The results varied widely. Some tumors died off quickly. Others barely responded at all. That split gave researchers something valuable: real tumor samples to study for what separates a responder from a non-responder.

The Genes That Predicted Response

The difference came down to genetics. Tumors with alterations in a gene called BAP1 were far more likely to respond to the drug. So were tumors with changes in a related gene, SETD2.

Both genes act as tumor suppressors, meaning they normally help keep cell growth in check. When they’re damaged or missing, cells can grow out of control. But that same damage appears to make tumor cells more vulnerable to this drug’s attack.

Both genes are already known to be knocked out in a large share of mesothelioma cases. This pattern, if it holds up, could apply to a meaningful slice of patients rather than a rare subset.

The Resistance Gene

Researchers also found a reason some tumors don’t respond. A gene called SLC7A11 was more active in tumors that resisted treatment. Cancer cells that survived long-term drug exposure in the lab had far more of it than untreated cells.

SLC7A11 helps cells import a building block they need to make their own antioxidants, giving resistant cells a backup defense system. When researchers blocked SLC7A11 in the lab using a compound called erastin, resistant mesothelioma cells became sensitive to the drug again. 

That’s an early but promising clue. It suggests a future combination treatment could pair RSO-021 with a second drug that shuts down this backup defense, closing off the escape route resistant cells currently use.

How This Could Shape Future Treatment

Researchers found this genetic pattern in studies that tested RSO-021 in tumor samples and lab-grown cells. Clinical trials with patients are still needed to determine if these findings can improve mesothelioma treatment.

If future clinical trials confirm these results, doctors could use BAP1 or SETD2 results to help identify who is more likely to benefit from RSO-021. This could move mesothelioma treatment closer to a more personalized approach.

You can ask your treatment team if you’ve had genetic testing that looked for changes in genes such as BAP1 or SETD2. While RSO-021 isn’t a treatment option now, your test results could indicate which clinical trial opportunities you may qualify for and future mesothelioma treatment decisions.

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Teams at the University of Vermont and University of Leicester led the small, early-phase trial. Their findings were published July 14 in the journal Nature Communications.

Key Findings From the Study

1. The drug, RSO-021, controlled the disease in 6 of 9 evaluable mesothelioma patients at 12 weeks at the 90-milligram dose.
2. One patient had a partial response. The tumor shrank and the response lasted until week 30.
3. The drug is delivered through a catheter already in place for fluid buildup around the lungs, a common mesothelioma symptom.
4. Median progression-free survival was 18 weeks. At 80 weeks, 7 of 12 mesothelioma patients were still alive.
5. Side effects at the working dose were mostly mild. No deaths were linked to the drug.

“We have something that will provide additional years to people’s lives,” said Brian Cunniff, a University of Vermont professor. Cunniff is also chief science officer at RS Oncology, the company developing the drug. 

Victoria Gibson, the study’s lead author and a UVM postdoctoral researcher, spoke about what it meant to see the drug reach real patients. She said, “We just work in a lab all day working with cells, and the fact that we’re making an impact on people, that they’re wanting to be on this clinical trial, just was amazing to me.” 

How The New Mesothelioma Drug Works

For years, researchers gave people with mesothelioma and other cancers antioxidants, hoping to lower those damaging molecules and slow tumor growth. Those trials mostly failed. Some even found that added antioxidants helped tumors grow faster. This team flipped the approach. 

Instead of protecting cells from oxidative damage, they went after an antioxidant enzyme called PRX3 directly. Block it, and the tumor cell drowns in the very damage it normally holds off.

Mesothelioma cells run hot with unstable molecules called reactive oxygen species. Every cell produces some of these as a byproduct of normal metabolism, but cancer cells produce far more. To survive that internal damage, tumor cells lean hard on PRX3, tucked inside their mitochondria, the cell’s energy centers.

The drug RSO-021 is derived from a natural antibiotic called thiostrepton. It disables PRX3 permanently once it binds. In lab testing, tumor cells with PRX3 removed entirely stopped growing well before drug testing even reached mice. When researchers tried to grow tumors from those same cells in animals, none of them took hold.

Why the Drug’s Delivery Matters

Most mesothelioma patients develop fluid buildup between the lung and chest wall, called a pleural effusion, and need a catheter to drain it regularly. Researchers used that same catheter to deliver the drug straight to the tumor, once a week.

That approach keeps the dose concentrated where the cancer is, and largely out of the bloodstream. Blood levels of the drug stayed low throughout the trial, barely above what the testing equipment could detect. Levels in the lung fluid told a different story, climbing steadily with each weekly dose until they leveled off.

Researchers also tracked how much fluid needed to be drained from patients’ lungs over time. That volume dropped significantly during treatment, from a median of 700 milliliters a week before starting the drug to 175 milliliters a week by the time patients came off treatment.

What the RSO-021 Trial Tested

There were 15 participants in this first-in-human trial, 12 of whom had pleural mesothelioma that had already progressed after standard treatment. Three participants had different cancers that had spread to the lining of the lung.

Researchers tested 3 dose levels: 90, 120 and 180 milligrams. The lowest dose, 90 milligrams, turned out to be the sweet spot. No patients at that dose had a serious drug-related side effect. Higher doses caused more problems, including shortness of breath and inflammation severe enough to stop treatment in a few cases.

The most common side effects at the working dose were fatigue, mild fever and cough. Nearly all reported side effects were mild.

What Patients Should Know

RSO-021 isn’t approved for use outside clinical trials. It remains investigational, and these results come from a small phase 1 study designed primarily to test safety and determine the right dose. Phase 2 has already wrapped, with fuller results expected at a major oncology meeting later this year.

Researchers are also working on an oral version of the drug that could eventually make mesothelioma treatment easier to access and could potentially be useful for cancers beyond mesothelioma. Patients interested in emerging mesothelioma treatments can ask their care team whether trials involving RSO-021 are enrolling and whether a pleural catheter they already have could make them a candidate.

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