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Mesothelioma Doctors

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Swedish Cancer Institute

Contact Information

1221 Madison Street Arnold Pavilion Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 386-2354

Affiliated Doctors

Dr. Eric Vallieres

The Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, Washington is part of the Swedish Medical Center, which has been providing health care to the community since 1910. Year after year, the Swedish has been called the area’s best hospital, reflecting their doctors, nurses, and specialized areas of care.

In 1932, Swedish opened the doors of the first center for cancer care west of the Mississippi River. Now, the Swedish Cancer Institute treats more varieties of cancer and more patients than any other cancer-care provider in the Pacific Northwest. They treat over 100 types of cancer and are the region’s leader in treating lung, prostate, colorectal, and breast cancer.

Swedish has specialized experts trained in the use of several different diagnostic tools used to detect and screen for cancer. This includes CT scanners, MRIs, ultrasound, and pathology tests. Early and accurate detection is the best way to fight cancer, providing hope for the best possible successful treatment regimen. Once the cancer has been identified, the Swedish Cancer Institute assigns an expert team of medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists to work with the patient and assign a treatment program. These programs allow patients to have the most recent treatment protocols as well as the newest equipment, cancer-fighting drugs, and methods to control pain. The medical oncologists provide chemotherapy, biological therapy, and stem-cell transplants when needed.

Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma

The Swedish Cancer Institute has the area’s foremost lung cancer care program, treating more people who have been diagnosed with lung cancer than any other in the state. They offer the latest in diagnostic approaches and the most innovative treatments. Teams from fields like medical and radiation oncology, thoracic surgery, social workers, and psychologists work together to find the best strategy for each patient.

The Surgical Director for Lung Cancer at the Swedish Cancer Institute is Dr. Eric Vallieres, a board certified Thoracic Surgeon. Dr. Vallieres has become famous for his use of “multimodality therapies” to treat mesothelioma, the rare and often deadly form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. He believes that patients with lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma should be treated with a combination of therapies. Dr. Vallieres has treated asbestos cancer patients by first applying a regimen of chemotherapy followed by drastic surgeries, often removing an entire lung. After the surgery, the patient is treated with radiation at the affected area.

Research and Clinical Trial

The Swedish Cancer Institute is one of the top clinical research sites in the western part of the U.S. The researchers and physicians work together at the Swedish Cancer Institute on hundreds of clinical trials with goals of creating new methods to cure cancer and improve treatment.

By collaborating with other cancer facilities in the Seattle region and nationwide, Swedish Cancer Institute is able to offer their patients the opportunity to participate in over 150 research studies that cover almost any form of cancer. The other cancer care facilities they work with include the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and the Southwest Oncology Group.

One such clinical trial for lung cancer allows patients to be tested with a new technology known as Low Dose Spiral Computerized Tomograpy (CT) lung scanning. This type of CT scanning can detect minute abnormalities in the lungs well before they may appear on conventional X-rays.