Dr. Elliot Wakeam
Thoracic SurgeonDr. Elliot Wakeam is a thoracic surgeon at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center in Ann Arbor. He treats patients with pleural mesothelioma and benign and malignant conditions of the lungs.

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Rogel Cancer Center at University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan (MI)
Get to Know Dr. Elliot Wakeam
Thoracic surgeon Dr. Elliot Wakeam joined the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center in 2019 to treat patients with mesothelioma, lung cancer and other malignancies of the chest.
Wakeam is considered one of America’s finest young thoracic surgeons, having trained at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Toronto General Hospital, two facilities with outstanding reputations for treating mesothelioma.
He also serves as an assistant professor in the Section of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School.
As part of the multidisciplinary approach to treatment at the University of Michigan, Wakeam works closely with medical oncologist Dr. Gregory Peter Kalemkerian, who is often a patient’s initial contact at the cancer center.
Wakeam specializes in minimally invasive surgery, including treatments for esophageal cancer, lung cancer, mediastinal tumors and chest wall masses. He also is part of the University of Michigan Lung Transplant Program.
His research interests include the role of surgery in small cell lung cancer, surgical rescue and the role of resection in chest wall recurrences of breast cancer.
Specialties of Dr. Elliot Wakeam
- Lung transplantation
- Pleural mesothelioma
- Esophageal cancer
- Management of breast cancer
- General thoracic surgery
- Minimally invasive surgery
Dr. Elliot Wakeam’s Experience and Medical Education
- University of Michigan School of Medicine (Assistant professor)
- University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center (Thoracic surgeon)
- Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia (M.D.)
- Toronto General Hospital (Fellowship)
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Fellowship)
Awards and Other Recognitions
- National Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Jefferson Medical College
- Resident Mentor Award, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- American Association of Thoracic Surgery (Member)
- Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgery (Member)
Publications of Dr. Elliot Wakeam
- Wakeam, E. et al. (2019, March 11). Measuring the quality of multi-disciplinary thoracic oncology care. Journal of Thoracic Disease.
- Wakeam, E. (2017, December 9). Surgery for small cell lung cancer in the modern era: opportunities and challenges. Journal of Thoracic Disease.
- Wakeam, E. et al. (2017, April 21). Surgery versus chemotherapy and radiotherapy for small-cell lung cancer: a propensity-matched analysis of survival. Lung Cancer.
- Wakeam, E. et al. (2017). Trends, practices, patterns and underuse of surgery in the treatment of early stage small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer.


