Surgery Spotlight: Q&A with Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang, MD
Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang, MD, is a thoracic surgeon in the Massachusetts General Hospital Division of Thoracic Surgery and faculty at Harvard Medical School.
About Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang, MD
Dr. Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang is a thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital, an Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, and the Founding Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Research (CAIIRE). He practices all aspects of thoracic surgery, including procedures for conditions of the lung and mediastinum. He specializes in minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Yang has received numerous awards, including recognition for exceptional accomplishment in both clinical care and in teaching. In 2021, he received the Harvard Medical School Charles McCabe Faculty Prize for Excellence in Teaching. He is a member of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and the Society of University Surgeons.
Dr. Yang leads several clinical studies. He is co-principal investigator and project leader of a $3.5 million NIH R01-funded study evaluating postoperative complications and recovery in cardiothoracic patients. He is also the co-principal investigator and project leader of a $1.5 million AHRQ R18-funded study evaluating lung cancer screening. Dr. Yang serves as Vice Chair of the Alliance Thoracic Surgery Group. Dr. Yang has been the lead or senior author on several high impact papers published in the British Medical Journal, JAMA, Journal of Clinical Oncology, JAMA Oncology, Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Annals of Surgery, and Chest. He has written over 160 publications, including over 90 as first-, co-first or senior author. Dr. Yang is an editorial board member of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, the Journal of Thoracic Diseases, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Online Curriculum. He is also an associate editor for Pearson’s General Thoracic Surgery.
Dr. Yang is focused on raising awareness of lung cancer screening. He started the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, which has worked with communities across 50 states to highlight the importance of lung screening. Since 2020, he has worked on resolutions, S. Res. 780, 462, 863, and 512 to raise awareness for lung cancer and lung cancer screening; these resolutions were passed in the U.S. Senate, by unanimous support from all 100 U.S. Senators. He received the 2021 Harvard Medical School Dean's Community Service Faculty Award and the 2024 Harvard Medical School Equity, Social Justice and Advocacy Award in recognition of his efforts.
When Dr. Yang is not at Mass General, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Phoebe, two daughters and his dog.
Clinical Interests:
- Chest wall tumors & reconstruction
- Esophageal cancer
- Lung cancer
- Lung nodules and ground glass opacities
- Mesothelioma
- Sarcomas
- Thymoma
- VATS / Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
Treats:
- Adult
Locations
Mass General Surgery: Thoracic Surgery
55 Fruit St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-2100
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital
789 Central Ave.
Dover, NH 03820
Phone: 603-742-5252
Medical Education
- MD, Harvard Medical School
- Residency, Duke University Medical Center
- Fellowship, Stanford University Hospital
- Fellowship, Toronto General Hospital
American Board Certifications
- Surgery, General, American Board of Surgery
- Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, American Board of Thoracic Surgery
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- Medicaid CT
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid RI
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- United Health Care
- Wellpoint
- WellSense
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Publications
-
Selected publications:
Potter AL, Xu NN, Senthil P, Srinivasan D, Lee H, Gazelle GS, Chelala L, Zheng W, Fintelmann FJ, Sequist LV, Donington J, Palmer JR, Yang CJ. Pack-Year Smoking History: An Inadequate and Biased Measure to Determine Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility. Journal of Clinical Oncology; 2024 [epub ahead of print].
Potter AL, Rosenstein AL, Kiang MV, Shah S, Gaissert H, Chang DC, Fintelmann FJ, Yang CJ. The Association of Computed Tomography Screening with Lung Cancer Stage Shift and Survival in the United States: A Quasi-experimental Study. British Medical Journal 2022. [Epub ahead of print].
Deng JZ, Chan JS, Potter AL, Chen YW, Sandhu HS, Panda N, Chang DC, Yang CJ. The Risk of Postoperative Complications following Major Elective Surgery in Active or Resolved COVID-19 in the United States. Annals of Surgery 2022. 275(2):242-246.
Mayne NR, Elser H, Darling AJ, Raman V, Liou D, Colson YL, D?Amico TA, Yang CJ. Estimating the Impact of Extended Delay to Surgery for Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer on Survival. Annals of Surgery 2021. 273(5): 850-857.
Kumar A, Kumar S, Gilja S, Potter AL, Raman V, Muniappan A, Liou DZ, Yang CJ. Reconsidering the American Joint Committee on Cancer Eighth Edition TNM Staging Manual Classifications for T2b and T3 NSCLC. Journal of Thoracic Oncology 2021; 16(10):1672-1683. PMID: 34242788.
Mayne NR, Lin BK, Darling AJ, Raman V, Patel D, Liou D, D?Amico TA, Yang CJ. Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy versus Delayed Surgery for Early Stage Non-small-cell Lung Cancer. Annals of Surgery 2020. 272(6):925-929.
Yang CJ et al. A National Analysis of Long-term Survival Following Thoracoscopic versus Open Lobectomy for Stage I Non-small-cell Lung Cancer. Annals of Surgery 2019. 269 (1):163-171.
Yang CJ et al. Impact of Timing of Lobectomy on Survival for Clinical Stage IA Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Chest 2017. 152(6):1239-1250.
Yang CJ et al. Role of Adjuvant Therapy in a Population-Based Cohort of Patients With Early-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2016, 34(10):1057-64.
Everyone I have seen at Wentworth Douglas has been exceptional! They are kind,caring,considerate and knowledgeable.
Very efficient and caring!
I would rate Dr Yang a 20 if that was on the scale. He is nothing but exceptional and the best doctor I have ever worked with. I am an ICU RN in NJ and I care for my father who is the patient. Dr Yang provides white glove MGH service that is above and beyond our expectations. he is caring and very special and knows us intimately.thank you!
Dr. Yang is a phenomenal doctor who makes his patients feel very at ease, who is very caring, who does his very best successfully to get appointments with other doctors and surgeons in an extremely timely manner. I can't speak highly enough about the care that I got from Dr. Yang.
Dr Yang is excellent Knowledgeable Courteous Professional Dedicated
Dr Yang is amazing. He really listens and takes time with his patients. I appreciate him so much. His actions demonstrate how much he cares.
I am so relieved to be in the care of Dr. Yang and his team. He was so present in our conversation and made me feel confident in his ability to work with me as I go through the next steps that could mean surgery.
A genuine, brilliant doctor. Compassionate and kind.
Dr. Yang is a wonderful doctor. He listens to what the patient has to say. Absolutely one of the best Dr's I have EVER had in my life journey.
Dr. Yang and his Staff are always there for me. I'm truly blessed to have met such an excellent Surgeon. Dr. Yang is easy to talk to and always comes down to my level. He has helped me numerous times with other personal issues. I'm now [redacted] years old. I finally had the opportunity to meet a Great Doctor with an amazing soul and he's so smart.