Dr. Alexander Farivar

Get to Know Dr. Alexander S. Farivar

Dr. Alexander Farivar brings more than his skills as a thoracic surgeon to patients when he first meets them. He brings them hope where once there was very little. 

His view of mesothelioma goes well beyond its typically grim prognosis. He trained across the country from Swedish Medical Center at the renowned Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where he developed an upbeat, ever-so-optimistic nature about the dreaded disease, buoyed by every little step forward in research.

“I know we can help patients with mesothelioma feel and breathe better and enjoy their remaining years,” said Farivar. “This optimism unfortunately is not a common belief among physicians. We are proud to evaluate every patient with mesothelioma and help in any way possible.”

Farivar, who was part of the Top Doctors list in Seattle Metropolitan magazine, is one of the leaders in the multidisciplinary approach toward mesothelioma being used at Swedish. That approach can include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, a combination that involves specialists in each discipline coming together to tailor an individualized mesothelioma treatment strategy.

Farivar earned his medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine. He completed a residency at University of Washington and a fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

He is skilled in robot-assisted surgery and minimally invasive surgery, and is certified in both thoracic and general surgery. 

Farivar has been part of the aggressive extrapleural pneumonectomy surgery and the lung-sparing pleurectomy and decortication surgery at Swedish. He was one of the forces behind Swedish becoming one of the West Coast leaders in mesothelioma care.

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Specialties of Dr. Alexander S. Farivar

• Pleural and lung cancer
• Robotic surgery
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Research

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Dr. Alexander S. Farivar’s Experience and Medical Education

• Swedish Medical Center
• Boston University School of Medicine (M.D.)
• University of Washington (Residency)
• Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School (Fellowship)

Awards and Certifications

• Top Doctor Award, Seattle Metropolitan magazine (2018)
• Board certified in general surgery
• Board certified in thoracic surgery

Publications of Dr. Alexander S. Farivar

• Wilshire, C.L. (2020, November). Not Following the Rules in Guideline Care for Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Staging Has Negative Impact. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 
• Laliberte, A.S. et al. (2020, August). Ineffective esophageal motility is not a contraindication to total fundoplication. Surgical Endoscopy. 
• Smith, S.P. at al. (2020, July). Surgical Management of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Invading the Fissure: Less Is More? Annals of Thoracic Surgery.