Mesothelioma Foundations

Mesothelioma Doctors

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Veterans Affairs Medical Center Memphis

Contact Information

1030 Jefferson Avenue Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 523-8990

During the 20th century, and particularly during World War II, serviceman who lived and worked on or near ships and shipyards were likely to be exposed to toxic levels of asbestos, which is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Therefore, it is important for veterans to know that the Veterans Administration (VA) health system supports patients with mesothelioma.

VA Memphis Medical Center

The Memphis VA Medical Center, affiliated with the University of Tennessee Medical Center, is a 244 bed tertiary care facility where veterans and families can receive primary and specialty care, including oncology (cancer) care. VA Memphis’s Specialty Care Program includes oncology and radiation treatment. A patient with mesothelioma might also be treated in the pulmonary, chemotherapy, or surgery clinic depending on his or her treatments. Patients can contact Memphis VA for appointments via phone, or via the MyHealtheVet link on Memphis VA’s or the VA.gov web site. VA Memphis has ten community clinics in locations around the Memphis area. These include Bolivar; Dyersberg; Jackson; North and South Memphis; Savannah; Byhalia and Smithville, Mississippi; and Helena and Jonesboro Arkansas. Other available health services that might be helpful to mesothelioma patients would include Mental Health, Nutrition and Food, Social Work, and Research.

VA and Cancer Care

In 2000, an inter-agency agreement was made between NCI and VA so that veterans could gain full access to treatment, diagnosis and prevention available under the National Cancer Institute. Veterans benefit in that they are able to be included in NCI clinical research. NCI benefits in that a larger and more diverse population of patients are potentially available to be included in research, which can improve the quality of trial results.

Clinical trials are research projects on actual patients that study if a particular medication, treatment, quality of life, or prevention strategy is safe and helpful. Patients are not entered into clinical trials unless they have been fully evaluated, understand what the research is trying to accomplish, and have given their permission to be included. While there are always possible risks, patients with hard to treat and aggressive cancers like mesothelioma may be given a new medication that is as helpful or perhaps even more efficacious than other treatments currently available. Veterans can be included in research as a part of their usual health benefit; the VA funds the medical care of its patients and NCI covers the cost of research. While some veterans may be offered services in nearby civilian facilities that are participating in studies, many trials take place at the VA centers, and it’s fairly rare that someone will have to go to another facility. VA Memphis has a large and well funded research program that has had patients involved in cancer as well as other areas of clinical research.

The VA Medical Center in Memphis has been focused on improving the health of veterans since 1922. Their mission is “To honor America’s veterans in all that we do by providing timely, quality care; outstanding customer service; education of tomorrow’s health care providers, and improvement in health care outcomes through research.”