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.

Doctors, nurses, researchers, and support staff from across America and around the world work and learn at the VABHS, further enhancing its prestige and reputation for excellence.

A prime example of excellence is Dr. Abraham “Avi” Lebenthal. Dr. Lebenthal is one of the top thoracic surgeons who specialize in mesothelioma treatment.

As a former Israeli military surgeon, Dr. Lebenthal has a unique perspective on veteran care, being able to compassionately empathize with the challenges veterans face.

Dr. Lebenthal is also highly skilled, having studied under the world-class mesothelioma surgeon, the late Dr. David Sugarbaker at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Both of these top surgeons have held tenure at Harvard Medical School tutoring tomorrow’s mesothelioma experts.

VA Boston Healthcare System patients benefit from the very best support staff found anywhere. Together, they form a multidisciplinary mesothelioma team.

The Boston VA Multimodal Approach

Patients admitted to the VA Boston Healthcare System are initially classified by their mesothelioma diagnosis, including location and disease stage. This triage 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: Doctors at the VABHS are some of the most experienced and talented mesothelioma surgeons available. Common mesothelioma surgeries are extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) where the entire diseased lung is removed and radical pleurectomy with decortication (P/D) where only the disease pleura is removed.
• Radiation: Directly exposing mesothelioma cells to radiation is effective for isolated tumors, which can be stopped without invasive surgery. Radiation is often a primary resort in early-stage mesothelioma. It’s also effective when used alongside chemotherapy.
• Chemotherapy: Treating mesothelioma with chemotherapy is also effective for early-stage mesothelioma. Combined with radiation, these two treatments are front-line processes and are often combined with surgery.

Seeking Treatment at Boston VA

Admission to the VA Boston Healthcare System is open to all eligible United States military veterans enrolled in the VA’s Healthcare System.

Although the medical centers are in Boston and primarily intended to serve the New England area, American veterans from across the country and around the world attend this advanced and professional facility.

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

For more information on how to receive compensation for mesothelioma treatment, contact our VA-accredited Claims Agents today.

Filing for VA benefits after a mesothelioma diagnosis is critical. However, many veterans don’t have the support and assistance they need when filing their claims.

VA-accredited Claims Agents are professionals in reviewing veteran cases and work history, and putting together claims that will result in timely and successful processing.