VA Boston Healthcare System

Address
1400 VFW Parkway
West Roxbury, MA 02132

Thoracic Surgery Chief
Dr. Daniel C. Wiener

Mesothelioma Treatment at VA Boston Healthcare Center

About a third of cases of malignant mesothelioma are veterans who were exposed to asbestos while they served in the military. Many of these patients are treated at VA medical centers, such as the VA Boston Healthcare Center.

Three hospitals are part of the VA Boston Healthcare System in Massachusetts: the West Roxbury campus, the Jamaica Plain campus, and the Brockton campus.

All three Boston VA hospitals offer inpatient treatment for pleural mesothelioma, the most commonly diagnosed form of this cancer that results from asbestos exposure.

The West Roxbury Campus is home to a thoracic surgery team that has spent decades building up a practice in caring for patients with mesothelioma. The program has brought veterans from more than 40 states to get treatment from VA Boston Healthcare System.

The VA Boston Health Center has dedicated staff with expertise in treating mesothelioma, including a thoracic surgery and oncology team.

In addition, this hospital can connect you with resources, including patient advocates, to ensure you get support and care tailored to your needs during this difficult time.

Use our Free Mesothelioma Kit to explore treatments and doctors that could help you after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Mesothelioma Doctors & Staff at VA Boston Healthcare Center

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has several mesothelioma specialists at the VA Boston Healthcare Center.

These doctors can connect military veterans and their loved ones with treatment plans to address mesothelioma, improve quality of life, protect mental health, and possibly help them live longer.

The wide-ranging mesothelioma medical team at VA Boston Healthcare Center includes:

Anesthesiologists
Cardiologists
General oncologists
Nurses
Pathologists
Patient advocates
Physician's assistants
Pulmonologists
Specialized social workers
Thoracic surgeons

Mesothelioma Treatment Approach at VA Boston Healthcare Center

The hospitals within the VA Boston Healthcare System offer a wide range of treatments for mesothelioma.

Treatment of mesothelioma at Boston VA healthcare facilities may involve:

Chemotherapy: Here, certain medications are used to target mesothelioma tumors, relieve symptoms, and help extend a patient’s life.
Immunotherapy: This stimulates your body’s immune response to help fight mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma surgery: Mesothelioma surgeries are often one of the best treatments for those diagnosed in the early stages. Boston VA patients may qualify to receive an extrapleural pneumonectomy, in which the lung lining and lung closest to the cancer are removed, or a pleurectomy with decortication, in which the just lung lining is taken out.
Multimodal therapy: By combining different treatment options, doctors can often help patients more successfully. For example, radiation treatment can shrink tumors so that they can be more easily removed surgically.
Radiation therapy: This uses X-rays and other energy beams to shrink mesothelioma tumors.

The VA Boston Healthcare System is also a close partner with some of New England’s premier medical colleges, such as Boston University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School.

In this way, veterans with mesothelioma can also access the latest and most groundbreaking mesothelioma clinical trials.

To make sure that you’re getting the VA benefits you earned, which includes access to treatments at the VA Boston Healthcare System, call us at (877) 450-8973

Mesothelioma Resources at VA Boston Healthcare Center

VA Boston Healthcare Center provides a number of resources and supports for mesothelioma patients and their loved ones.

For example, even if you don’t live in the Boston area, you can be treated at the VA Boston Healthcare Center. This is because there are transportation and housing programs available for veterans and their families coming from far away to get mesothelioma treatments.

There are currently two sites for housing veterans and their families: the Fisher House Boston and the VA Boston Huffington House.

The facility has financial assistance programs offering airfare for mesothelioma patients and caregivers to travel to Boston for consultation and treatment. Eligibility for this service depends on your service connection and your income.

There are also private organizations that may be able to provide you with travel and lodging assistance in Boston during your treatment.

Looking to get medical help and resources following a mesothelioma diagnosis? Get started with our Free Veterans Packet.

Help for Mesothelioma Patients at VA Boston Healthcare Center

If you have mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease and are a veteran, you can get life-extending treatment at the VA Boston Healthcare Center.

As a veteran, you earned access to these treatment options and many other benefits through your service to the country. Don’t miss out on treatment that can improve and extend your life.

If you don’t know whether you qualify for VA benefits or aren’t sure how to begin, we can help. Contact us today so our team can help you get the benefits you and your family are entitled to.