General Surgeon | Medical Specialist for Mesothelioma

Top General Surgeons Who Treat Mesothelioma

The following general surgeons have experience treating people with mesothelioma.

Dr. Charles Mulligan

Christiana Care Helen F. Graham Cancer Center

Dr. Charles R. Mulligan is chief of thoracic surgery at Christiana Care-Helen Graham Cancer Center in Newark, Delaware. He is double board-certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery and specializes in surgical procedures for pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Dr. Seth D. Blank

Dr. Seth D. Blank is a thoracic surgeon at Maine General Medical Center in Agusta, Maine. He specializes in surgical procedures for pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer, and he is board-certified in general surgery, thoracic surgery and medical examination.

Dr. Eric Sommers

Dr. Eric Sommers is a thoracic surgeon at Florida Heart and Lung Surgery in Tampa, Florida. He specializes in the surgical treatment of pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer, and he has been board-certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery.

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Dan G. Blazer III, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Duke Cancer Center

Christian Rolfo, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center

Joel Neal, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Stanford Cancer Institute

Matthew A. Gubens, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Christine A. Ciunci, M.D.

Hematology at Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center

Keith Cengel, M.D.

Radiation Oncology at Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center

Anthony R. Lanfranco, M.D.

Pulmonology at Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center

Sharmila Roy Chowdhury, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist, HIPEC at Medical City Plano

Andrew Haas, M.D.

Pulmonary Medicine at Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center

Rod L. Flynn, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Christ Hospital Medical Center

Young Kwang Chae, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Robert Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center

Kevin El-Hayek, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute

Laurence H. Brinckerhoff, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Tufts Medical Center

Christine L. Lau, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Virginia Cancer Specialists

R. Taylor Ripley, M.D.

Director, Mesothelioma Treatment Center at Baylor College of Medicine at Lung Institute at Baylor College of Medicine

Abraham Lebenthal, M.D.

Pleural Mesothelioma at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Jacques Fontaine, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Stephen Rosenberg, M.D.

Thoracic Malignancies at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Robert B. Cameron, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology at UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

Martin D. Goodman, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Tufts Medical Center

Mark Knab, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Loyola University Medical Center

Mohammad Muhsin Chisti, M.D.

Hematology at Beaumont Cancer Institute

Gerard Abood, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Loyola University Medical Center

Nabil Wasif, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona

John A. Federico, M.D.

Thoracic Surgeon at Kalispell Regional Medical Center

Laura A. Lambert, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Huntsman Cancer Institute

John M. Kane III, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Evan W. Alley, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Florida

David Grossman, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute

Fabian Johnston, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview

Michael R. Shafique, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Alberto A. Chiappori, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Toufik Djemil, M.D.

Radiation Oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Florida

Randall Zuckerman, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Kalispell Regional Medical Center

Evan S. Ong, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Swedish Medical Center

Alex Spira, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at Virginia Cancer Specialists

Francisco Robert-Vizcarrondo, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center

Ryan Holbrook, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Cancer Center Northwest

Jennifer Gnerlich, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Ochsner Medical Center

Wesam Ahmed, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Florida

Bruno Bastos, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Florida

Ramaswamy Govindan, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center

Alexander Patterson, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center

Benjamin Kozower, M.D.

Thoracic Surgeon at Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center

Kevin Becker, M.D.

Medical Oncologist at Maimonides Medical Center

K. Adam Lee, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Jupiter Medical Center

Charles B. Simone, M.D.

Radiation Oncologist at New York Proton Center

Jason P. Shaw, M.D.

Director of General Thoracic Surgery at Maimonides Medical Center

Igor Brichkov, M.D.

Thoracic Surgeon at Maimonides Medical Center

Ory Wiesel, M.D.

Thoracic Surgeon at Maimonides Medical Center

James Ohr, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Harmik Soukiasian, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Samuel Oschin Cancer Center at Cedars-Sinai

Ani Balmanoukian, M.D.

IM/Hematology/Oncology at Samuel Oschin Cancer Center at Cedars-Sinai

Chadrick Denlinger, M.D.

Cardiothoracic surgery at Hollings Cancer Center at the University of South Carolina

Kenneth Rosenzweig, M.D.

Thoracic Malignancies at Mount Sinai Hospital

Ramesh Rengan, M.D.

Novel Radiation Treatment at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Fadi Braiteh, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Nevada Comprehensive Cancer Center

Prakash Neupane, M.D.

Hematology & Thoracic Oncology at University of Kansas Medical Center

Rachel E. Sanborn, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Providence Cancer Institute Oregon

Marianna Koczywas, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center

Mecker Moller, M.D.

Surgical Oncologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Arek Z. Dudek, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Regions Hospital Cancer Care Center

George Salti, M.D.

Complex General Surgical Oncology at University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago

Lana Schumacher, M.D.

Thoracic Surgeon at Allegheny General Hospital

Shanel Bhagwandin, M.D.

Cytoreductive Surgery with HIPEC at Jupiter Medical Center

Henning A. Gaissert, M.D.

Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital

Hugh G. Auchincloss, M.D.

Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital

James C. Cusack, M.D.

Peritoneal Surface Malignancies at Massachusetts General Hospital

David Sugarbaker, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Lung Institute at Baylor College of Medicine

Suzanne Schiffman, M.D.

Complex Abdominal Malignancies at Allegheny General Hospital

Armando Sardi, M.D.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma at Mercy Medical Center

Vadim Gushchin, M.D.

Peritoneal Surface Malignancies at Mercy Medical Center

Eugene Choi, M.D.

Peritoneal Surface Malignancies at Lung Institute at Baylor College of Medicine

Michael D. Kluger, M.D.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

Kiran Turaga, M.D.

Surgical Treatment of Abdominal and Peritoneal Diseases at University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

John Hibbeln, M.D.

Radiology at Loyola University Medical Center

Muaiad Kittaneh, M.D.

Hematology/Oncology at Loyola University Medical Center

Syed Osman Ali, M.D.

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center

Jason M. Foster, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at University of Nebraska Medical Center

Matthew Steliga, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

Michael S. Mulligan, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Farhood Farjah, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Bernardo Goulart, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Adam Lackey, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Staten Island University Hospital

Aaron S. Mansfield, M.D.

Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Immunotherapy at Mayo Clinic Minnesota

Bryan Burt, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Lung Institute at Baylor College of Medicine

Frank V. Fossella, M.D.

Medical Oncology at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Ritsuko U. Komaki, M.D.

Radiation Oncology at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Mark Ferguson, M.D.

Lung Cancer, Esophageal Cancer at University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

Heber MacMahon, M.D.

Lung Diseases at University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

Christopher Wigfield, M.D.

Lung Transplantation at University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

Alexandra Funaki, M.D.

Interstitial Lung Disease at University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

Renuka Malik, M.D.

Radiology at University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

Robert Ramirez, M.D.

Lung Cancer, Pleural Mesothelioma, Research at Ochsner Medical Center

Rama Balaraman, M.D.

Medical Oncology, Hematology at Florida Cancer Affiliates

Scott Celinski, M.D.

Abdominal Cancers at Surgical Oncology Specialists

Tirrell Johnson, M.D.

Medical Oncology at UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health

Robert Cerfolio, M.D.

Robotic Surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center

Linda Garland, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Arizona Cancer Center

Helen Ross, M.D.

Hematology/Oncology at Mayo Clinic Arizona

Jay M. Lee, M.D.

Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery at UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

David Jablons, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Joel Baumgartner, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center

Thierry M. Jahan, M.D.

Hematology/Oncology at The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Heather Wakelee, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Stanford Cancer Institute

Mark W. Lischner, M.D.

Pulmonology at Pulmonary Medicine Associates Medical Group

Michael Weyant, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at University of Colorado Cancer Center

John Mitchell, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at University of Colorado Cancer Center

Robert Meguid, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at University of Colorado School of Medicine

Frank C. Detterbeck, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Yale New Haven Health Smilow Cancer Hospital

Scott N. Gettinger, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Yale New Haven Health Smilow Cancer Hospital

Roy H. Decker, M.D.

Therapeutic Radiology/Surgery at Yale New Haven Health Smilow Cancer Hospital

Lynn D. Wilson, M.D.

Therapeutic Radiology at Yale New Haven Health Smilow Cancer Hospital

Jack A. Elias, M.D.

Internal Medicine: Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine at Yale New Haven Health Smilow Cancer Hospital

Michael Kashgarian, M.D.

Surgical Pathology at Yale New Haven Health Smilow Cancer Hospital

Charles Mulligan, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Christiana Care Helen F. Graham Cancer Center

Tawee Tanvetyanon, M.D.

Medical Oncology, Hematology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Scott Antonia, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Duke Cancer Center

Bela Kis, M.D.

Interventional Radiology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Sophie Dessureault, M.D.

Gastrointestinal Oncology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

Dao Nguyen, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Eric Sommers, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at Florida Heart & Lung Surgery

Luis Herrera, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health

Farid Gharagozloo, M.D.

Robotic Thoracic Surgery at AdventHealth Celebration

Nestor Villamizar, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dong M. Shin, M.D.

Hematology and Medical Oncology at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Daniel Miller, M.D.

General Thoracic Surgery at Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Seth Force, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Michele Carbone, M.D.

Anatomic Pathology at University of Hawaii Cancer Center

Hedy Lee Kindler, M.D.

Gastrointestinal Oncology at University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center

Ravi Salgia, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center

Wickii Thambiah Vigneswaran, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center

Marta Batus, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Rush University Medical Center

Nasser H. Hanna, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center

Francis D. Sheski, M.D.

Pulmonary Critical Care at Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center

W. Charles Conway, M.D.

Peritoneal surface malignancies, complex oncologic surgeries at Ridley-Tree Cancer Center

Brian Pettiford, M.D.

Pleural Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer at Ochsner Medical Center

Tracey Weigel, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Westchester Medical Center

Seth D. Blank, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at MaineGeneral Medical Center

Joseph S. Friedberg, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center

Richard Alexander, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

James Donahue, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center

Raffit Hassan, M.D.

Medical Oncology at National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research

Stephen C. Yang, M.D.

General Surgery, Thoracic Surgery at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview

Petr Hausner, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Richard Battafarano, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview

David Schrump, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at National Institutes of Health

Julie Renee Brahmer, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview

Jesus Esquivel, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Frederick Regional Health System

Raphael Bueno, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Scott J. Swanson, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Marcelo DaSilva, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at AdventHealth Orlando

Elizabeth Baldini, M.D.

Thoracic Radiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Jennifer Bellon, M.D.

Thoracic Radiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Bruce Johnson, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Pasi A. Janne, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Richard Kradin, M.D.

Immunopathology of Lung Disease at Massachusetts General Hospital

Shirish Gadgeel, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

Miguel Alvelo-Rivera, M.D.

Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland

Craig W. Stevens, M.D.

Radiation Oncology at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak

Richard Berri, M.D.

General Surgery at Van Elslander Cancer Center

Gregory P. Kalemkerian, M.D.

Internal Medicine at University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

Robert Kratzke, M.D.

Medical Oncology/Thoracic Oncology at Masonic Cancer Center - University of Minnesota

Traves D. Crabtree, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at SIU Cardiothoracic Surgery at Simmons Cancer Center

Brian W. Loggie, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center

Nicholas J. Vogelzang, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Nevada Comprehensive Cancer Center

Raja Michael Flores, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital

Daniel M. Labow, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital

Andrea Wolf, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital

Harvey Pass, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center

Sai Yendamuri, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Jessica Donington, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center

Roman Perez-Soler, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Montefiore Medical Center

Stephen M. Levin (deceased), M.D.

Occupational Medicine at St. Johns Riverside Hospital

Daniel H. Sterman, M.D.

Thoracic Pulmonology at NYU Langone Medical Center

Edward Levine, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center

David H. Harpole Jr., M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Duke Cancer Center

Betty Tong, M.D.

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Duke Cancer Center

James Stevenson, M.D.

Hematology/Oncology at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute

Sudish Murthy, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute

Nathan Pennell, M.D.

Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Clinical Trials at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute

David Carbone, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Rodney Landreneau, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at UPMC Altoona Hillman Cancer Center

Walter J. Scott, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Abington Hospital-Jefferson Health

Stacey Su, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center

Prashant C. Shah, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center

Hossein Borghaei, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center

Gregory Lubiniecki, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center

Joseph Treat, M.D.

Medical Surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center

J.F. Pingpank Jr., M.D.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Antoinette Wozniak, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

David L. Bartlett, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

James Luketich, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Matthew Schuchert, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Neil Christie, M.D.

Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Corey J. Langer, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center

Giorgos Karakousis, M.D.

Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery at Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center

Taine Pechet, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at University of Pennsylvania Health System

Sunil Singhal, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center

John C. Kucharczuk, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Steven M. Albelda, M.D.

Thoracic Oncology at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Alice Boylan, M.D.

Pulmonary Medicine at Hollings Cancer Center at the University of South Carolina

Carol Sherman, M.D.

Thoracic malignancies at Hollings Cancer Center at the University of South Carolina

Eric S. Lambright, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Timothy Scott Blackwell, M.D.

Pulmonology, Cancer Biology at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

George Simon, M.D.

Pleural Mesothelioma at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Pavan Mukesh Jhaveri, M.D.

Radiation Oncology at Lung Institute at Baylor College of Medicine

Jun Zhang, M.D.

Hematology & Oncology at Lung Institute at Baylor College of Medicine

Anita Lyn Sabichi, M.D.

Medical Oncology at Lung Institute at Baylor College of Medicine

David P. Mason, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas

Kemp Kernstine, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Jonathan E. Dowell, M.D.

Internal Medicine, Oncology and Hematology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Anne Tsao, M.D.

Medical Oncology at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Stephen Swisher, M.D.

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

David C. Rice, M.D.

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Claire F. Verschraegen, M.D.

Medical Oncology at University of Vermont Medical Center

Eric Vallieres, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Swedish Medical Center

Alexander Farivar, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery at Swedish Medical Center

Paul H. Sugarbaker, M.D.

Surgical Oncology at Washington (D.C.) Cancer Institute at Washington Hospital Center

H. Ian Robins, M.D.

Medical Oncology at University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center

Mario Gasparri, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at Froedtert Hospital and Medical College of Wisconsin

Rafael Santana-Davila, M.D.

Lung, Head and Neck Cancers at Froedtert Hospital and Medical College of Wisconsin

Feng-Ming (Spring) Kong, M.D.

Radiation Oncology at UH Cleveland Medical Center

Frank Mott, M.D.

Clinical Affairs at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Andrew Mellor, M.D.

Cancer Immunology at Augusta University Cancer Center

Raja Mudad, M.D.

Hematology/Oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

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What is a General Surgeon?

A general surgeon is a doctor with deep understanding of anatomy, physiology, metabolism, immunology, pathology, cancer, wound healing and intensive care.

Training for this medical specialty provides knowledge and practice diagnosing diseases and conditions. General surgeons receive training in team leadership and may oversee many aspects of medical care for each patient.

General surgeons are skilled in preoperative, operative and postoperative care, including surgical complications. They work with culturally diverse and vulnerable groups, and with patients lacking access to ongoing and coordinated health care.

What Type of Training Does a General Surgeon Have?

Training programs for general surgeons require a minimum of five years and include experience performing surgeries of the digestive tract, abdomen and related organs, breast and other soft tissues, head and neck, and vascular and endocrine systems.

General surgeons perform cancer-related surgeries and provide care related to trauma, critical illness, emergency medicine and burns.

After five or more years of training, a physician can take a test to become board certified in general surgery.

Why See a General Surgeon?

A general surgeon may be called in to consult on a surgical case in which the cause of symptoms is not well understood. This may include pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma can lead to vague and confusing symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain and bloating. A general surgeon can perform the exploratory surgery that leads to a definitive diagnosis.

This is important because it allows your medical team to develop a comprehensive mesothelioma treatment plan. The sooner you begin treatment, the more likely you will have the best possible outcome.

Once you have received a diagnosis, a general surgeon can work with your oncologist and provide expert advice on surgical options for managing mesothelioma symptoms.

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What Does a General Surgeon Do?

Even for people who are not expected to be cured of mesothelioma, quality of life matters.

General surgeons possess the expertise and skills to help you manage symptoms as effectively as possible. They have training in pain management and understand how the disease may affect your ability to live your life.

For example, a general surgeon can perform minimally invasive — laparoscopic or endoscopy-guided — surgery to drain fluid from around your tumor, if you are an appropriate candidate for this type of operation.

This can minimize shortness of breath and pain.

How Do I Find a General Surgeon with Mesothelioma Experience?

If you have exposure to asbestos or your doctor suspects mesothelioma is a possibility, ask for a referral to a surgeon with mesothelioma experience.

If your symptoms suggest pleural mesothelioma, which affects the areas around the lungs and heart, you may be referred to a thoracic surgeon first.

A general surgeon can work with you and the rest of your health care team to create a mesothelioma care plan.

The right combination of medical team members, including a general surgeon, can help you achieve the best possible outcomes after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

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Karen Selby, RN

Registered Nurse and Patient Advocate

Karen Selby joined Asbestos.com in 2009. She is a registered nurse with a background in oncology and thoracic surgery and was the regional director of a tissue bank before becoming a Patient Advocate at The Mesothelioma Center. Karen has assisted surgeons with thoracic surgeries such as lung resections, lung transplants, pneumonectomies, pleurectomies and wedge resections. She is also a member of the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators.

Edited by Walter Pacheco

Medical Review By Dr. Brian L. Samuels

3 Cited Article Sources

The sources on all content featured in The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com include medical and scientific studies, peer-reviewed studies and other research documents from reputable organizations.

The American Society of General Surgeons. (n.d.). About Us.
Retrieved from: https://theasgs.org/about-us/
The American Board of Surgery. (2017, February). Training and Certification. Specialty of General Surgery Defined.
Retrieved from: http://www.absurgery.org/default.jsp?aboutsurgerydefined
American College of Surgeons. (n.d.). General Surgery. Retrieved from: https://www.facs.org/education/resources/residency-search/specialties/general

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