VA Boston Healthcare System

About Boston VA

The Boston VA’s mesothelioma treatment program rivals that of many of the nation’s top private facilities for cutting-edge treatment and quality patient care.

The major Boston VA medical centers are located in Jamaica Plain, Brockton, and West Roxbury.

The VA Boston Healthcare System has consistently been rated as one of the best-funded and administered health facilities in the nation. It also has one of the finest mesothelioma treatment centers worldwide.

The Boston VA can help veterans with pleural mesothelioma (the most common type of this cancer). The VA conducts thoracic surgery, experimental research, and clinical trials to help cancer patients. It also teaches medical students about cutting-edge mesothelioma intervention.

Most surgeries are conducted at the West Roxbury center while research, clinical trials, and long-term mesothelioma care happen at Jamaica Plain.

The VABHS also works with leading cancer hospitals like:

• The Dana-Faber Cancer Institute
• Harvard Medical School
• Boston University School of Medicine
• Brigham & Women’s Hospital
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research & Information Center (MAVERIC)

One of the main projects between cooperating partners is the International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. It links all information on developing treatment methods for mesothelioma.

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U.S. Military Veterans and Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma is a very rare but highly aggressive form of cancer. Approximately 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are diagnosed in the United States yearly.

A disproportionate number of mesothelioma patients are U.S. military veterans — particularly Navy veterans. Hundreds of thousands of military veterans suffered asbestos exposure (the only known cause of this cancer) during their service.

Asbestos was widely used in all military branches from the 1930s until the early 1980s when the long-term health hazards from asbestos exposure became well-known.

Asbestos was an excellent material for fireproofing and insulating military assets like U.S. Navy ships, planes, tanks, and bases.

Many military veterans had daily exposure to very high amounts of asbestos dust during their duties. Chronic exposure increased the likelihood of asbestos fibers being inhaled or ingested.

Because mesothelioma has a 10-50-year latency period, many veterans have no idea they’re ill until symptoms become so severe. Roughly 1,000 veterans are diagnosed with mesothelioma every year.

Fortunately, eligible veterans can be treated for mesothelioma at world-class medical centers like the VA Boston Healthcare System.

VA Boston Healthcare System Staff

Because the VA Boston Healthcare System is so well-managed and funded, the center attracts some of the world’s best talent.

Leading doctors from around the globe have worked at VABHS, further enhancing its prestige and reputation for excellence.

A prime example is top thoracic surgeon Dr. Abraham “Avi” Lebenthal, who built the national mesothelioma treatment program at the VAVHS West Roxbury campus (the only VA program of its kind on the East Coast). Dr. Lebenthal spent more than a decade as the program’s director before moving back to his native country of Israel in 2022.

VA Boston Healthcare System patients continue to benefit from the very best physicians, surgeons, and support staff dedicated to treating veterans with mesothelioma.

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The Boston VA Treatment Approach

Patients admitted to the VA Boston Healthcare System are initially classified by their mesothelioma diagnosis, including disease stage. This allows staff to quickly develop the right treatment program for an individual patient.

Following this classification, mesothelioma treatment usually takes a multimodal approach.

A multimodal treatment approach involves two or more medical interventions rather than one specific treatment type.

The experienced staff realizes that each patient’s case is unique. What works for one patient may not be applicable to another despite their having the same form of mesothelioma.

A multimodal approach at VABHS may include:

• Surgery: Common mesothelioma surgeries used include the extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), where the entire diseased lung is removed, and pleurectomy with decortication (P/D), where the cancerous lung lining (pleura) is removed but the patient keeps both of their lungs.
• Radiation: Directly exposing mesothelioma cells to radiation is effective for isolated tumors, which can be stopped without invasive surgery. Radiation is often used in cases of early-stage mesothelioma. It’s also effective when used alongside chemotherapy.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is effective for cases of early-stage mesothelioma. This treatment can also be combined with radiation and surgery to help patients.

Learn more about top treatments for mesothelioma and how to access them by calling (866) 608-8933.

Seeking Treatment at Boston VA

Admission to the VA Boston Healthcare System is open to eligible United States military veterans enrolled in the VA’s health care program. Veterans will likely need to apply for VA benefits if they haven’t done so already to get treatment at this facility.

Although the medical centers are in Boston and primarily intended to serve the New England area, veterans from around the world can get treatment here.

Financial assistance for patients and their families — including for travel and lodging — is available through VA or partnering private support networks.

For more information on how to receive mesothelioma treatment through the VA or another medical center, contact our VA-accredited Claims Agents today.