Dr. Farhood Farjah is a thoracic surgeon and researcher. He holds an appointment as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington. Dr. Farhood Farjah obtained his medical degree at Oregon Health and Science University and trained at the University of Washington in general surgery. He did his residency at University at Washington Medical Center and his fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York in cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Farjah’s postdoctoral research fellowship was funded by the National Institute of Health and National Cancer Institute. Dr. Farjah also has a master’s degree in epidemiology and is the Associate Medical Director of the Surgical Outcomes Research Center. (SORCE).
As a young man, he had always been interested in helping and working directly with people, service and science. Dr Farjah is committed to understanding patients’ goals and helping them achieve them. He plans to use his training, experience and network of colleagues to help patients achieve their goals.
He is involved with research that studies how doctors deliver care to lung cancer and mesothelioma patients in the United States. His goal is that all patients have the best possible outcome. Another of his goals during his research is to increase the quality and value of thoracic oncology patients experiences.
Dr. Farjah has a special interest in occupational related illnesses, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. In addition to treating mesothelioma and lung cancer patients, Dr. Farjah has lectured on the treatment of mesothelioma, including a recent continuing medical education course on “Multi-Modality Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma.” Dr. Farjah has also taught at the American College of Surgeons. The mesothelioma community is fortunate to have Dr. Farjah to help in the fight against mesothelioma and to help patients, especially those in the Pacific Northwest.
This month we are featuring an expert in peritoneal mesothelioma from the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Raja Flores is the Chairman of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He is also the Steven and Ann Ames professor in Thoracic surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Flores specializes in the treatment and research for mesothelioma. He has published extensively on mesothelioma and other thoracic conditions. Dr. Flores is the Principal Investigator of the Libby Epidemiology Research Program, a 4.8 million R01 grant funded by the Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The major goal of this research project is to focus on questions regarding the consequences of one’s health in regard to asbestos exposure.
Valerie Rusch is one of the first women to become board certified as a thoracic surgeon. Dr. Rusch currently has many positions which include vice chair of clinical research within the department of surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer. She is also chair for the Miner Family Chair in Intrathoracic Cancers. Dr. Rusch also is professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. As a thoracic surgeon she specializes in the treatment of mesothelioma as well as other cancers of the lung, airway, esophagus, and mediastinum. Dr. Rusch obtained her medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Her residency was done at the University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals. Her fellowship was done at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr. Anne Tsao is an accomplished medical oncologist and research scientist. She is the director of the Mesothelioma Program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Texas. She is an Associate Professor, Department of Thoracic/ Head and Neck Medical Oncology, at MD Anderson and also the Director of Thoracic Chemo- Radiation Program at MD Anderson. Dr. Tsao also holds many other positions such as co-chair of the Clinical Research Committee at MD Anderson. As an accomplished clinical scientist Dr. Tsao has been an Associate Editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, Watch Oncology and Hematology section since June 2013. She also serves on the SWOG Mesothelioma Steering Committee, SWOG Lung Executive Committee, and the Scientific Board of the American Radium Society.
Dr. Robert Cameron is the Director and founder of the Comprehensive Mesothelioma Center at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is also the scientific advisor for the Pacific Heart Lung and Blood Institute as well as serving as a senior professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California. He also serves as the chief of thoracic surgery at the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Center. He continues to hold the title of Professor of Surgery UCLA since 2008.
Dr. David Sugarbaker is a world renowned expert in thoracic surgery, including malignant pleural mesothelioma. Currently he is the Professor and Chief, Division of General Thoracic Surgery Baylor College of Medicine. He is also the Director of the Lung Institute at Baylor College of Medicine, along with the Olga Keith Wiess Chairman in Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Jacques P. Fontaine is a thoracic surgeon and the director of the Mesothelioma Center at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. He is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of South Florida – College of Medicine..
Dr. Hedy Kindler is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago. She is also the Medical Director, Gastrointestinal Oncology, Mesothelioma Program. Dr. Kindler is an internationally known and respected expert in the care of mesothelioma patients. She is active in the mesothelioma community having served as immediate past president of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG).
If you go on the Internet and “Google” Dr. Raphael Bueno of Boston, you will find a host of bios and accomplishments. But Since Ellie and I have worked with him for years we would like to give an informal perspective prior to you reading all that he has established and accomplished. We both knew him as a young resident. As I remember he was always on top of his patients’ needs and their issues. He could remember the smallest details about his patients and always tried to provide the best medical care he could. These qualities are not easy in the stressful life of a young intern in a very competitive environment. He stood out as one of the brightest, interested, and, most importantly, compassionate resident. As he progressed through his career as a young doctor he was very patient with other patients and professionals. He gave patients time to speak to him about their worries and concerns. About ten years ago I remember him caring for a particular patient who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma. It was a particularly busy time on the thoracic service, many sick patients and concerned family members. He would sit at his bedside and talk about life. Sometimes it was about the disease or just whatever the patient wanted to talk about. These are qualities that cannot be taught.
