Joseph Friedberg, M.D., is a board-certified surgeon specializing in thoracic cancers, including pleural mesothelioma, lung cancer, and lung-sparing surgeries. Dr. Friedberg is the Thoracic Surgeon-in-Chief at Temple University Health Systems and Co-Director of the Temple Health Mesothelioma and Pleural Disease Program. Education Dr. Friedberg completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania College of
Raja Flores, M.D., is a leading thoracic surgeon, specialist in mesothelioma, and the Chairman of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System and professor of thoracic surgery. He is a world-famous cardiothoracic surgeon with expertise in pleural mesothelioma, esophageal cancer, and lung cancer. His landmark work in surgical mesothelioma treatment changed the
Valerie Rusch, M.D., is a thoracic surgeon at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She specializes in treating and diagnosing thoracic cancers, including lung, trachea, bronchi, esophageal, and pleural mesothelioma. Dr. Rusch is currently the Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers and the Vice-Chair for Clinical Research in the surgery department at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
Harvey Pass, M.D., is a thoracic surgeon and professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Langone Health. He has led several important mesothelioma research programs for the National Cancer Institute and has contributed significantly to the understanding of mesothelioma through clinical trials. Education and Early Career Dr. Pass
Dr. Lebenthal is a pleural mesothelioma specialist previously affiliated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the VA Boston Healthcare System. Dr. Lebenthal is now the Section Chief of thoracic surgery at Assuta Medical Center in Ashdod, Israel. Education and Early Career Dr. Lebenthal, a native of Israel, studied at Hebrew University
Now retired, Eric Vallieres, M.D., was a renowned thoracic surgical oncologist and director of the Swedish Cancer Institute’s Lung Cancer Program. His special interests included lung cancer and mesothelioma. 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
Tawee Tanvetyanon, M.D., is a medical and research oncologist with expertise in thoracic cancers and cancers of the head and neck. He specializes in both lung cancer and mesothelioma. Dr. Tanvetyanon has devoted clinical and research time to working on this cancer, including using hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Education and Early Career Dr. Tanvetyanon was born
Though Georgia-Pacific is best known for its paper products, the company also manufactures construction materials like drywall, which were once made with asbestos. While Georgia-Pacific has not used asbestos for decades, it continues to face lawsuits and billions of dollars in settlements from workers who developed asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma. Georgia-Pacific History and Asbestos In
Mesothelioma cancer among veterans is an unfortunate reality. Rates of asbestos-related diseases are high in veterans because of the military’s extensive asbestos use. Veterans exposed during service are eligible to make claims for benefits like health care and disability compensation.
Asbestos and mesothelioma trust funds were created by companies who negligently exposed workers to asbestos. Many of these companies had to create trust funds as a requirement of receiving bankruptcy protection and to ensure victims would receive compensation for their illnesses. The trust funds set aside over $30 billion for current and future claimants.