Dr. Valerie W. Rusch is a veteran thoracic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, N.Y. who specializes in the treatment of various cancers affecting the lungs, airways, esophagus, and chest wall. Rusch, one of the first women in the United States to earn board certification for her specialty, is considered an expert in the field. She is the Chair of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, a Regent of the American College of Surgeons, a Chair of the Lung and Esophagus Task Force of the American Joint Commission on Cancer, and the Chair of the Mesothelioma Subcommittee of the IASLC.
The native New Yorker earned her medical (MD) degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, completing her general and thoracic surgery residency in Seattle at the University of Washington. Prior to joining Memorial Sloan Kettering in 1989, Rusch trained for a year at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and spent six years as a member of the University of Washington’s faculty.
In addition to taking a more personal approach to their patients, Rusch and her colleagues make it a point to use the latest technologies to provide the most minimally invasive treatments available. Such treatments include robotic assistance, video-assisted surgery, and two techniques (endobronchial ultrasound and esophageal ultrasound) that give doctors a clear picture of the size and location of tumors without making incisions. Rusch also is an ardent proponent of using an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to thoracic cancer treatment, meeting with her diverse team of physicians regularly to discuss patient care to develop research.
Rusch also has been involved in a number of clinical trials primarily on the treatment of lung cancers. One recent study is explores the use of a particular immunotherapy drug in the treatment of operable, untreated non-small cell lung cancer. This drug (Atezolizumab) helps the immune system track down and kill cancer cells by blocking a certain protein and has been previously used for bladder cancer and advanced lung cancer. Another clinical trial Rusch has been involved with studies into the use of aerobic and resistance (weight) training in post-surgery lunch cancer patients.
In 2007 she was awarded with the Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education Socrates Award for her pioneering clinical trials involving the treatment of thoracic malignancies. Rusch continues to lecture at medical conferences around the world and has held 25 visiting professorships and lectureships. In addition, she has been published as the author or co-author of a number of medical journals and books on mesothelioma, lung cancers in general, esophageal tumors, and related medical subjects.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is widely regarded as the largest private cancer center and is also the first of its kind, combining patient care, research, and education programs. It is one of 47 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Care Centers and specializes in the development of new, innovative cancer therapies.
Learn More About Mesothelioma
Asbestos Exposure Information
Did You Know?
Get Help from Experienced Mesothelioma Nurses
Learn more about these experienced mesothelioma nurses by watching the video below. Click here to contact a mesothelioma nurse now.
Learn More About MesoLawyersCare
Watch the video below to learn why MesoLawyersCare is the best choice to represent you and your family after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Contact MesoLawyersCare Now
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please contact us to see if we can help you get the compensation you deserve from the billions of dollars in asbestos trust funds available now for qualified asbestos victims. With just one call, you can put all our experience and success to work for you.
We have represented thousands of victims of mesothelioma and their families in virtually every State in the country and in decades of work have recovered billions of dollars in financial compensation for our clients.
Call us now at 1-888-568-1177, fill out the form on this page or chat with a live person. The consultation is free and it costs nothing upfront to hire the lawyers behind MesoLawyersCare. We only get paid if you collect a settlement or verdict and you will never receive a bill from us.
Receive a
FREE No Obligation
Legal Consultation Today
Important Notice: We are unable to help if:
- Diagnosis or passing was more than three years ago
- An attorney has already been retained in this matter
“You have all been so wonderful to us, so professional, and always looking out for our best interests in every way. I know it’s a job you do. However, not once did anyone ever make us feel like we did not matter.”