Dr. Lorraine Cornwell
Section Head of General Thoracic Surgery at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center; Associate Professor of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine
Dr. Lorraine Cornwell is one of the top mesothelioma doctors in the country. Her clinical interest includes pleural mesothelioma. She is an associate professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. She sees veterans through the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine.
Pleural Mesothelioma
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
2002 Holcombe Boulevard 5B-170E, Houston, TX 77030
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More Information About Mesothelioma Specialist Dr. Lorraine Cornwell
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that usually begins in the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity. Most cases of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma, which forms in the lining of the lungs. This is Dr. Cornwell’s area of expertise.
Dr. Cornwell is an associate professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine’s Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. She treats patients at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Cornwell is also Section Head of General Thoracic Surgery at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. This hospital is also called the Houston VA Medical Center. It’s one of the few VA hospitals able to treat veterans with mesothelioma. Dr. Cornwell is also the co-Principal Investigator of the hospital’s Lung Precision Oncology Program (LPOP). She has helped the program diagnose 30 lung cancer cases among veterans, with a propensity for diagnosing in early stages.
Medical Degrees and Residencies
- Medical Degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, 1996
- Residency in General Surgery at the University of North Carolina Health in Chapel Hill, 2001
- Residency in Cardiothoracic Surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill-Cornell Medical College and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 2003
Certifications and Memberships
- Certified in Thoracic Surgery by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery
- Certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery
- Membership in the American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Association of Veterans Affairs Surgeons, American Women’s Medical Association, Women in Thoracic Surgery and American Association for Thoracic Surgery
Get Connected to Dr. Lorraine Cornwell
Dr. Cornwell is the leading surgeon for thoracic cancers at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, located in Houston, Texas. She also works at Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, one of the top mesothelioma hospitals.
Why Choose Dr. Cornwell?
- Experience treating veterans with mesothelioma
- Performs radical surgery for mesothelioma
- Leads thoracic surgery at Houston’s VA medical center
Focus on Veterans With Mesothelioma
A large number of veterans develop malignant mesothelioma after serving in the military. Asbestos exposure is rampant among veterans, which is why the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is important. There are only two other VA hospitals with mesothelioma teams and specialists.
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is the only one based in the South. It opened its mesothelioma treatment program in 2019 with help from Baylor St. Luke’s for staff and resources.
“At the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Dr. Lorraine Cornwell and the Cardiothoracic Surgery team provide state-of-the-art thoracic oncologic and cardiac surgical services to US military veterans,” Dr. Cornwell’s doctor bio page reads.
Surgery Options for Resection and Diagnosis
Mesothelioma treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy. Most patients first consider surgery.
Dr. Cornwell performs aggressive surgery for pleural mesothelioma. The two surgery options are pleurectomy/decortication and extrapleural pneumonectomy.
Pleurectomy/decortication surgery avoids taking out one of the lungs, which many doctors believe helps quality of life and recovery. Extrapleural pneumonectomy removes a lung, a decision mostly reserved for more advanced cases of mesothelioma.
She also uses video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for diagnosing this disease. Her research focuses on improving outcomes for VATS and cardiothoracic surgery.
Dr. Cornwell has received multiple awards:
- 2020 Top Doctor in Cardiothoracic Surgery, Houstonia Magazine
- STAR Faculty Award for Excellence in Patient Care, Baylor College of Medicine
- 2021 Women of Excellence, Baylor College of Medicine
She started her medical career at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She received her degree from this institution and had her first residency here. Her second residency, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, was in cardiothoracic surgery. This was the launchpad for her clinical interest in mesothelioma surgery.
How to See Dr. Lorraine Cornwell
You can see Dr. Cornwell for a surgical consultation or second opinion on treatment. She’s also a resource for veterans with mesothelioma who are looking for a VA center treating this cancer. Email our patient advocate team, either nurse Karen Ritter or Navy veteran Carl Jewett, for help. Their emails are karen@mesotheliomaguide.com and cjewett@mesotheliomaguide.com.
Sources & Author
AI Summary of Dr. Lorraine Cornwell
Dr. Lorraine Cornwell is a highly regarded surgeon specializing in thoracic cancers, particularly mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer that primarily affects the lining of the lungs. She serves as the Section Head of General Thoracic Surgery at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas, and is also an Associate Professor of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Her work focuses on providing expert surgical treatment for veterans who have been diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, which is the most common form of this disease. Dr. Cornwell’s expertise extends to any aspects related to diagnosis and surgical resection options, aiming to improve both survival outcomes and quality of life for her patients.
With a comprehensive background in medicine, Dr. Cornwell earned her medical degree from the University of North Carolina and completed residencies in general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery at prominent institutions including Weill-Cornell Medical College and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She is certified in both thoracic surgery and general surgery by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. Her professional memberships include the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, highlighting her commitment to staying current with advancements in her field.
In her role at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Dr. Cornwell is dedicated to treating veterans who often have a history of asbestos exposure, a primary risk factor for mesothelioma. The VA hospital is one of only a few in the country equipped to offer specialized care for these patients. She performs advanced surgeries such as pleurectomy/decortication, which spares the lung and may lead to quicker recovery, and extrapleural pneumonectomy, which involves removing a lung in more advanced cases. Dr. Cornwell’s approach emphasizes personalized treatment plans, combining surgical expertise with comprehensive care, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy options, to give her patients the best possible outcomes. Her research interests include improving minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), aiming to enhance diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma.