Splitting his time between the Boston VA and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Lebenthal is one of the only mesothelioma specialists in the VA system.

About Dr. Lebenthal

Dr. Lebenthal is one of the many talented mesothelioma specialists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. What makes him unique among his colleagues is his experience treating veterans with mesothelioma through the VA Boston Healthcare System.

He also serves as the medical content reviewer for Mesothelioma Guide, ensuring that all information available to patients and family members about mesothelioma is accurate and up-to-date. Use our free Doctor Match program to get connected to Dr. Lebenthal and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

  • Medical Degree and Residency

    Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel, 1993
    Hebrew University Medical Center, General Surgery, 2003
    Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, General Surgery, 2000

  • Professorship

    Professor of Surgery – Harvard Medical School

Dr. Lebenthal spent four years at BWH learning about minimally invasive surgeries before becoming the attending thoracic surgeon at Fox Chase Cancer Center. In 2011, he joined the Division of Thoracic Surgery at BWH, where he completes most of his surgeries today.

He is experienced in a wide range of treatment approaches, including:

  • Pleurectomy with decortication
  • Video-assisted thoracic surgery
  • Laparoscopy
  • Photodynamic therapy

Dr. Lebenthal has also served as a physician in the Israeli Army (1991-95). Though he may not be a veteran of the U.S. Army, he has an unspoken connection with the veterans he treats. He is highly respected among his patients and is known for being a compassionate doctor.

Dr. Lebenthal’s Credentials

  • Head of mesothelioma program at Boston VA
  • Fluent in four languages
  • On the International Mesothelioma Program Staff
  • Affiliated with several top hospitals
  • Served as a battalion physician

Get Connected To Dr. Avi Lebenthal

Photograph of Dr Lebenthal
While he still treats patients at Brigham and Women’s hospital, Dr. Lebenthal has also brought his experience to the VA Boston Healthcare System. This opens up opportunities for veterans struggling to afford treatment.

Why Choose Dr. Lebenthal?
  • Veteran-specific treatment
  • Minimally invasive surgery
  • Multimodal treatment approach









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Brigham and Women's Hospital

75 Francis St. Boston, Massachusetts

Doctors: Dr. Raphael Bueno and Dr. Avi Lebenthal

Focus: Pleural mesothelioma

Brigham and Women's Hospital boasts one of the best mesothelioma programs in the country, the International Mesothelioma Program (IMP), which has significantly improved treatment options for patients.

  • The hospital is composed of departments from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard School of Public Health.
  • Doctors at this center developed and honed an oft-used pleural mesothelioma surgery, extrapleural pneumonectomy.

A Mesothelioma Specialist in the VA

Dr. Lebenthal brings skills and experience he acquired at BWH to the VA Boston Healthcare System. He spent four years at one of the world’s best mesothelioma programs learning details of the surgical management of the disease. Thanks to that, veterans can reap the combined benefits of using their VA Healthcare benefits and seeing a mesothelioma specialist.

Dr. Lebenthal’s talent as a mesothelioma specialist is highlighted by being mentored by Dr. David Sugarbaker who is famous in the mesothelioma community for his skill in treating the disease.

There are very few mesothelioma specialists in the VA system, so patients are likely to make the initial mistake of seeing a general oncologist within the VA. Mesothelioma is such a specialized disease that seeing a mesothelioma specialist is vital to the patient receiving the most information and best available treatment.

Reasons veterans should seek out care from Dr. Lebenthal in the VA:

  • Financial restrictions make the VA a necessity
  • He’s the only VA-affiliated mesothelioma specialist on the East Coast
  • Get treated from a great doctor who is a veteran
“As an officer, I learned the importance of service, dedication and commitment to a larger cause.”

Treatment for mesothelioma can be expensive, but veterans can use the VA system in Boston to offset some of those costs. It is one of the only VAs with a mesothelioma specialist.

Steering through the VA can be a difficult, stressful process. It can be even more difficult to get treatment from Dr. Lebenthal if you aren’t located in Massachusetts. However, there are people available to help you get connected with Dr. Lebenthal through the VA.

Our team of patient advocates and our VA Accredited Claims Agent have experience with hundreds of cases. They have gotten many veterans into the Boston VA to receive treatment from Dr. Lebenthal in addition to getting access to other VA benefits that add thousands of dollars to their family’s income each month. Get connected with Dr. Lebenthal using our free Doctor Match program.

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