Dr. Valerie W. Rusch stands as a preeminent leader in thoracic surgical oncology with over four decades of distinguished clinical and research contributions. She currently serves as the Miner Family Chair for Intrathoracic Cancers and Vice Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, while maintaining a professorship at Weill Cornell Medical College. A native New Yorker educated at Vassar College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Rusch completed her surgical training at the University of Washington before serving on faculty there for six years. She joined Memorial Sloan Kettering in 1989 and served as Chief of the Thoracic Service from 2000 to 2013, establishing herself as one of the first women in the United States to achieve board certification in thoracic surgery.
Dr. Rusch has made transformative contributions to the treatment of thoracic malignancies, most notably as a key member of the team that identified EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer patients in 2004, which revolutionized targeted therapy approaches with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Her pioneering research established the standard of care for Pancoast tumors and positioned her as a leading advocate for pre-operative therapy protocols in non-small cell lung cancer management. She has been instrumental in advancing minimally invasive techniques including video-assisted thoracic surgery and robotic surgery, while conducting extensive translational research on the molecular behaviors of lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma. Her leadership in numerous National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trials has significantly shaped contemporary treatment paradigms for thoracic cancers.
As a visionary leader in surgical oncology, Dr. Rusch served as President of the American College of Surgeons from 2019 to 2020 and has chaired the Thoracic Committee for multiple editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Handbook. She continues to drive innovation in incorporating immunotherapy into pre-operative treatment for early-stage lung cancer while maintaining an active clinical practice focused on personalized, multidisciplinary care for complex thoracic conditions. Her mentorship has influenced generations of thoracic surgeons, and she remains deeply engaged in research exploring genetic tendencies in lung cancer to enable earlier detection and more effective treatments. Dr. Rusch's enduring commitment to both technological advancement and compassionate patient care exemplifies her holistic approach to transforming thoracic surgical oncology.
