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Dr. Robert Cameron

Thoracic Surgeon at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center

Dr. Robert Cameron conceptualized the pleurectomy with decortication surgery for pleural mesothelioma. Before this, there was one surgery available to patients.

Dr. Robert Cameron

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Pleural Mesothelioma

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Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

757 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095


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More About Mesothelioma Specialist Dr. Robert Cameron

Dr. Cameron is head of the mesothelioma program at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center. He’s a thoracic surgeon at the hospital’s cancer center. He is also Chief of General Thoracic Surgery at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center for veterans.

He is the innovator behind the lung-saving pleurectomy with decortication (P/D). Dr. Cameron developed P/D as an alternative to the extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). He believed P/D could produce survival rates comparable to EPP while sparing the patient’s lung.

He’s also a professor of cardiothoracic surgery and surgical oncology at UCLA School of Medicine. He’s been a faculty member since 1997.

How to contact:

West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

10780 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 100, Los Angeles, California 90025-7613

Phone: (310) 470-8980

Fax: (310) 470-3742

Email: rcameron@mednet.ucla.edu

Nurse practitioner: Lien Hua-Feng

Secretary: Martha Martinez

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Medical Degrees and Residencies

    • Medical Degree from UCLA School of Medicine, 1984
    • Residency in General Surgery at UCLA Medical Center, 1985-1986 and 1989-1992
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Certifications and Memberships

    • Lead adviser for the Scientific Advisory Board at the Pacific Meso Center
    • Co-founder and former director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

Dr. Cameron’s Treatment Plan

Before pleurectomy with decortication, the pleurectomy procedure had no curative potential for mesothelioma patients. Dr. Cameron changed that. Here are the steps of his P/D surgery for pleural mesothelioma:

1

Patients receive up to four cycles of systemic chemotherapy treatment. The last cycle occurs 2-3 weeks before surgery.

2

Patients undergo surgery, usually pleurectomy/decortication, if eligible. This surgery leaves both lungs alone. It peels the pleural lining out of the lung cavity. The surgeon also removes part or all of the diaphragm and pericardium (lining around the heart).

3

During potential surgery, patients receive 60 minutes of intraoperative chemotherapy. This is called hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC).

Treating Patients at the West Los Angeles VA

Dr. Cameron helped found the Elmo Zumwalt Comprehensive Mesothelioma Program at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. The program offers top-notch treatment for veterans with mesothelioma.

Treatment at the West Los Angeles VA includes:

  • Radiation therapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Surgery

The mesothelioma program at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center has become one of the top treatment centers in the country. Veterans can rest assured they’ll get the same kind of care as those at the best cancer centers across the country.

Benefits of treatment through the VA includes:

  • Equal treatment to what is offered at top cancer centers
  • Oversight by specialists like Dr. Robert Cameron
  • Reduced medical costs with VA health care

Veterans seeking the best treatment for their disease can find it at the West Los Angeles VA. Learn more about options for veterans in our free Veterans Support Guide.

Disclaimer: Mesothelioma Guide has no affiliation with and is not endorsed or sponsored by Dr. Robert B. Cameron. The contact information above is listed for informational purposes only. You have the right to contact Dr. Cameron directly.

Sources & Author

  1. Researching Mesothelioma Under the Direction of Dr. Robert Cameron. Pacific Heart Lung & Blood Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.phlbi.org/research/ Accessed: 02/17/2023.
  2. ROBERT B. CAMERON, MD FACS. Pacific Heart Lung & Blood Institute. Retrieved from: http://www.phlbi.org/about/dr-robert-b-cameron-md/. Accessed: 12/13/2017.
  3. Hope for Veterans with asbestos-related cancer. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved from: http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/14948/hope-for-veterans-with-asbestos-related-cancer/. Accessed: 12/13/2017.
Devin Golden

About the Writer, Devin Golden

Devin Golden is a content writer for Mesothelioma Guide. He produces mesothelioma-related content on various mediums, including the Mesothelioma Guide website and social media channels. Devin's objective is to translate complex information regarding mesothelioma into informative, easily absorbable content to help patients and their loved ones.