Eric Vallieres, M.D.
Now retired, Eric Vallieres, M.D., was director of the Swedish Cancer Institute’s Lung Cancer Program. His special interests included lung cancer and mesothelioma.[1] Dr. Vallieres was one of the few surgeons to perform extrapleural pneumonectomy, a radical surgical treatment for mesothelioma.
Education and Early Career
Dr. Vallieres was the surgical director of the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, Washington. His medical career began in his home country of Canada. In 1982, Dr. Vallieres graduated from the Université Laval Medical School in Quebec.[1]
He then completed a general surgery residency at the University of Toronto Hospital, staying there to complete a clinical fellowship in thoracic surgery. He followed that fellowship with another in thoracic surgery at the University of Bordeaux in France. Dr. Vallieres was board-certified in both general and thoracic surgery.
After finishing his fellowships, Dr. Vallieres returned to Canada. There, he served at the University of Alberta’s Department of Surgery in Edmonton from 1991 to 1994. He then moved to the University of Ottawa in Ontario to work as an assistant professor of surgery. He served there until 1996.
Career in Washington and the Swedish Cancer Institute
In 1996, Dr. Vallieres joined the University of Washington’s School of Medicine staff in Seattle. There, he became an associate professor of surgery. In 1998, Dr. Vallieres earned a teacher of the year award. He continued to work as a professor at the University of Washington until 2004.[2]
In 2004, Dr. Vallieres became the Swedish Cancer Institute’s director of surgery. He ran the surgery department, conducted research, and worked with patients at the Institute’s two hospitals, Cherry Hill and First Hill.
Research and Specialties
Dr. Vallieres specialized in treating lung cancer and mesothelioma and was one of only a handful of surgeons able to perform extrapleural pneumonectomy, one of the most radical of all surgeries.[3]
This procedure is used to remove a patient’s lung along with much of the tissue on one side of the chest cavity. It is a difficult and dangerous procedure, but often the last hope for patients with mesothelioma. He also utilized a tri-modal treatment involving surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy to treat mesothelioma.
The tri-modal approach is proven to extend patient lives. Dr. Vallieres earned respect for his individualized approach to treating patients, and his willingness to spend time with patients, carefully explaining options and treatment procedures.
Honors and Awards
Dr. Vallieres’ career in cancer and surgery earned him a reputation as a physician dedicated to patient care. He won a number of awards, including the designation of America’s Top Doctors for Cancer several years in a row. He has also been listed as one of America’s Top Doctors.
Dr. Vallieres is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Canada. He is a member of several organizations, including the Western Thoracic Surgical Association and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
He also belongs to the National Cancer Institute’s Lung Site Committee in Canada and is the vice-chairman of the Southwest Oncology Group’s Lung Committee. In addition, his research has been published in numerous scholarly journals, and he has co-authored over 150 papers.
