Faculty and Staff
Alfredo Voloschin, MD
Director of Neuro-Oncology Program
MCG Department of Neurosurgery

Mary Anne Park
Assistant Clinical Professor
MCG Department Surgery

The neuro-oncology program is committed to combining clinical and basic science research. This includes protocols to identify novel markers for diagnosis and prognosis of brain tumors. In addition, clinical studies are being conducted with the objective of finding potential novel cancer therapies.

The brain tumor program at MCG participates in clinical trials from the Minority Based Community Clinical Oncology Program (MB-CCOP).

Basic Science Research
Among the current projects in progress at the MCG Neuro-Oncology Lab, two are especially noteworthy.  Their objective: to develop treatments and cures for brain tumors via immunotherapy.  MCG is one of the few research hospitals conducting immunotherapy studies for patients with brain tumors.

Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndrome Research
Current studies target Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes, or PNS. These are an autoimmune process in which the immune system attacks parts of the nervous system while in the process of fighting a small, often asymptomatic, cancer. Dr. Voloschin has designed a pilot study comparing the blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) of cancer patients with and without PNS.

Properly diagnosed, the syndromes are an early warning system that a still early – so likely more treatable – cancer has started or recurred.

Cancers associated with PNS include small cell lung cancer, breast and ovarian cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, colon cancer, testicular cancer and, less frequently, melanoma and malignant thymoma, among others.

MCG is currently collaborating with the University of Pennsylvania in evaluation of T-cell immunity.

Molecular Neuro-Oncology Lab
Recent clinical studies have suggested that the combined loss of chromosomes 1p and 19q in certain brain tumors (oligodendrogliomas and oligoastrocytomas) is associated with prolonged survival and increased sensitivity to chemotherapy. The Molecular Neuro-oncology Laboratory at MCG offers 1p/19q analysis for all brain tumors with a component of oliogodendroglioma as an aid in determining prognosis and planning therapy.