Thoracic Surgeons for Mesothelioma Cancer
Thoracic surgeons are the physicians who take care of the thorax — the part of the body between the neck and the abdomen, including the:
- Lungs
- Heart
- Esophagus
- Large blood vessels surrounded by the breastbone, ribs and vertebral column
A patient with mesothelioma cancer may be referred to a thoracic surgeon for mesotheliom treatment. After taking further tests and gathering information, the thoracic surgeon may recommend surgery, a transplant, or a less-invasive mesothelioma treatment.
Thoracic Surgeons Treating Chest Illnesses
Thoracic surgeons provide treatment for conditions that can affect more body systems than those located in the chest, such as:
- cancers of the lung, esophagus, and chest wall (including mesothelioma and lung cancers)
- tumors in the chest-cavity organs (including those caused by asbestos exposure)
- transplants of the lungs and heart
- coronary artery disease
- abnormalities of the heart valves and great vessels
- birth defects of the heart
Subfields of Thoracic Surgery
There are several subspecialties of thoracic surgery:
- General thoracic surgery — focusing on surgery and other mesothelioma treatments, lung cancer (small-cell lung cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer), asbestosis, lung transplantation, emphysema, esophageal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux, and chest wall tumors
- Cardiac surgery — focusing on diseases of the heart, its valves, the great vessels (aorta and vena cava) in the chest, and the blood supply to the heart
- Congenital heart surgery — focusing on the correction of congenital heart defects, including pediatric heart transplants
Training for Thoracic Surgeons
Thoracic surgeons are highly educated specialist MDs. After their medical school training, thoracic surgeons in training must:
- spend up to five years in a general surgical residency
- devote another two to three years to a thoracic surgery residency
- pass the American Board of Thoracic Surgery certifying examination
Find a Thoracic Surgeon near You
If you or someone you know has received a diagnosis of mesothelioma or another asbestos-caused disease, you can consult a thoracic surgeon for a medical opinion or treatment. Contact mesothelioma treatment centers for assistance in finding a thoracic surgeon near you.
Mesothelioma Thoracic Surgeons (english) / Mesotelioma Cirujanos Toracicos (spanish)
