Dr. Bryan Burt

About Dr. Bryan Burt

Dr. Bryan M. Burt is an oncologist (cancer doctor) who leads UCLA Medical Center’s thoracic surgery team. In this role, Dr. Burt treats patients with mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer that develops 10-50 years after asbestos exposure.

Dr. Burt specifically treats malignant pleural mesothelioma, which is the most common type of this cancer and forms in the lining of the lungs (pleura). He and his team can recommend different surgeries for pleural mesothelioma to help improve patient survival times.

In addition to helping patients, Dr. Burt also studies new ways of treating mesothelioma and other cancers through clinical trials. Notably, he has studied how immunotherapy can destroy pleural mesothelioma cells following surgery.

Dr. Burt deeply cares about the well-being of his patients, offering treatments tailored to their specific needs and health goals.

What Conditions Does Dr. Bryan Burt Treat?

Dr. Bryan Burt and UCLA’s thoracic oncology team treat health problems that affect the lungs and chest.

These include:

• Pleural mesothelioma
• Esophageal cancer
• Lung cancer
• Mediastinal masses and growths
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Thymic cancers
• Other thoracic cancers

Dr. Burt uses different thoracic surgery options to treat mesothelioma. These include aggressive surgeries to remove cancer tumors and less invasive techniques, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Dr. Burt is also highly interested in combining immunotherapy with surgery to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight mesothelioma. Surgeries may still leave microscopic cancer cells behind, but immunotherapy can help to destroy them.

“The treatment of residual disease with local delivery of relatively high doses of immunotherapy to the pleural space is a very attractive way to treat mesothelioma.”
– Dr. Bryan Burt, pleural mesothelioma specialist

Dr. Burt and his team at UCLA are an excellent choice for pleural mesothelioma patients. Together, they create treatment plans that meet each patient’s needs and give them the best chance of living longer.

Use our Free Doctor Match for help connecting with Dr. Burt and other mesothelioma specialists near you.

Dr. Burt’s Medical Background

Dr. Bryan Burt received his medical degree from Weill Medical College of Cornell University in 2003. He then completed residencies in general and thoracic surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, part of Harvard Medical School.

He also completed a research fellowship in cellular immunology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

In 2012, Dr. Burt joined the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Burt’s experience and dedication as a surgeon ultimately led him to become the Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Baylor Lung Institute.

Dr. Burt joined UCLA Medical Center in October 2023 as the Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery. He continues to build on decades of experience treating patients using surgery in this role.

He is also a part of UCLA’s Tumor Immunology & Immunotherapy (TII) research program, where new immunotherapies are studied to help treat mesothelioma and other cancers.

Highlights of Dr. Bryan Burt’s Medical Career

Dr. Burt has received many accolades for his work treating cancers like mesothelioma and furthering research into new treatments.

Dr. Burt’s awards and accolades include:

• American College of Surgeons fellowship
• Early Career Faculty Award for Excellence in Patient Care, Baylor College of Medicine
• Featured editor of The Journal of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
• Norton Rose Fulbright Faculty Excellence Award for Enduring Education, Baylor College of Medicine

These awards demonstrate that Dr. Burt is a highly accomplished surgeon. Dr. Burt’s patients have also consistently praised him and his team for providing high-quality care.

In addition, many of Dr. Burt’s patients have praised him for his thoughtfulness and dedication to improving their quality of life.

“I had over five visits with Dr. Burt prior to my surgery. He spent time with me, and I never felt rushed. He is a wonderful surgeon, and I’m so glad my doctors referred him to me.”
– Patient of Dr. Bryan Burt

We can help you connect with Dr. Burt and other mesothelioma specialists. Call (866) 608-8933 now to get started.

Dr. Bryan Burt’s Mesothelioma Research

Dr. Burt is interested in new ways of treating mesothelioma, most notably immunotherapy. To that end, he has helped organize many clinical trials and research programs studying immunotherapies and other treatment options.

For example, in 2022, Dr. Burt and several colleagues released findings from a study that combined two immunotherapy treatments, cytokine factories and immune checkpoint inhibitors, to treat late-stage mesothelioma tumors in mice.

The results were astounding, with these advanced tumors being destroyed in just a few days.

“It’s very hard to treat mesothelioma tumors in mice like it is in human beings. Delivery of these immunotherapy particles to mice who have mesothelioma has been very effective. In fact, I’ve not seen these mesothelioma tumors in mice be eradicated with such efficacy as we have in this mouse model.”
— Dr. Bryan Burt, pleural mesothelioma specialist

Dr. Burt and his team also received a $2.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute in 2021 to fund an ongoing biomarker test to determine if patients with pleural mesothelioma would benefit from immunotherapy.

Additional research reports from Dr. Burt include:

• “Soluble mesothelin-related peptide as a prognosticator in pleural mesothelioma patients receiving checkpoint immunotherapy.” Published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, October 2024.
• “Clonal gene signatures predict prognosis in mesothelioma and lung adenocarcinoma.” Published in NPJ Precision Oncology, February 2024.
• “Pleurectomy and decortication are associated with better survival for bicavitary cytoreductive surgery for mesothelioma compared with extrapleural pneumonectomy.” Published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, May 2023.
• “Diagnostic Laparoscopy Improves Staging of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma With Routine Positron Emission Tomography Imaging.” Published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, November 2021.

Dr. Burt can recommend the most effective pleural mesothelioma treatments based on your cancer stage and overall health —potentially including those available only in clinical trials.

Download our Free Questions to Ask Your Doctor Checklist to get answers about your mesothelioma diagnosis and treatment plan from your specialist.

Connect With Dr. Bryan Burt

Dr. Bryan Burt has helped many patients with pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer get the treatments they need to live longer.

If you or a loved one is struggling after a diagnosis, Dr. Burt and his team can offer the care you need.

Mesothelioma Hope can help you connect with him and other top specialists right now. Our Patient advocates are here to walk with you through every step of your cancer journey so you can get the answers and treatments you need.

Call (866) 608-8933 or use our Free Doctor Match for help contacting Dr. Bryan Burt and other mesothelioma doctors.