Morana Vojnic, MD, MBA

🧠 Transforming the future of brain & spine tumor care! ⚡
The 2nd Annual International Brain & Spine Tumor Symposium at the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, co-hosted by @RutgersCancer & @RWJBarnabas on September 24th, brought together top global minds across adult & pediatric neuro-oncology.
Key Breakthroughs & Highlights: 🔬 Game-changing non-invasive diagnostics & novel surgical delivery systems 🎯 Cutting-edge precision radiotherapy & target immunotherapy strategies 🩺 High-level multidisciplinary tumor boards tackle complex spinal cases 🌱 Next-gen resident poster presentations & crucial supportive care insights🚀 Thank you to my conference co-chairs Drs.Sherman and Parikh, thank you to all the attendees and thank you to our sponsors for a fantastic event!!! cinj.org/education/2nd-…
#NeuroOncology #BrainTumorResearch #SpineTumor #RutgersCancerInstitute #RWJBarnabasHealth

Does MGMT methylation status change when gliomas recur? 🧠🔬
In our latest study, first authored by our super talented neuro-oncology group medical student @henry_noren showed that #MGMT promoter methylation remains stable in 84% of recurrent #gliomas, with most shifts occurring right near classification thresholds.
These findings underscore why quantitative assessment matters for accurate prognosis & treatment planning. Link: link.springer.com/article/10.100…
@RandyDAmico_MD @ShermanMDneuro @RutgersCancer @RWJBarnabas @NeuroOnc @JNeurooncol

Work by our group presented by Rachel Rodrigues at the #SNO/ASCO #CNS Metastases Conference! 🧠📊
Her presentation highlighted a critical analysis of ClinicalTrials.gov registry data, examining how neurocognitive and quality-of-life assessments are utilized in CNS metastases research.

Key Takeaways:
Low Endpoint Inclusion: Despite continued emphasis on neurocognitive (NC) and quality of life (QOL) outcomes, overall inclusion remains low—especially in systemic cancer-driven therapy trials.
Underutilization of Standardized Tools: Among trials that do assess NC and QOL, many still fail to use RANO-recommended tools.
Equal Priority Needed: Patient-centered outcomes should be treated as equally important as PFS and intracranial response, yet their inclusion in systemic therapy trials remains severely lacking.

Future Directions:
Investigating the underlying reasons why NC/QOL assessments remain low in systemic trials.
Assessing whether structural incentives can improve assessment adoption across future studies.
Re-evaluating concordance as RANO-PRO instrument recommendations are formalized.
How can the oncology community better standardize and incentivize patient-centered metrics in clinical trial design? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Excited to share that our neuro-oncology research student Rajika Chauhan presented our poster at the ASCO/SNO CNS Metastases Conference 2026! 🧠📊
Our SEER analysis shows real-world survival for HR+/HER2+ de novo breast cancer brain metastases improved from 20 mo to not reached in the ADC era (p=0.005).
36-mo cause-specific survival jumped from 36.8% ➡️ 52.7% (HR=0.833).
Congrats to Rajika & team! 👏
#NeuroOncology #BreastCancer @ASCO @NeuroOnc

It was a privilege to speak at the inaugural Brooklyn Lung Cancer Conference on managing leptomeningeal disease in lung cancer!
As targeted therapies & immunotherapies improve systemic control, effective CNS management is crucial—not just for extending survival, but for preserving cognitive function and quality of life for our patients. Continuing to innovate in CNS disease remains one of our most urgent frontiers. Big thanks to the chairs and organizers for a fantastic event!
#BrooklynLungCancer #NYLung26 #LungCancer #NeuroOncology #ThoracicOncology @christinemphmd @DrAshish_Saxena @ipreeshagul @binaytara @JSabari @ElaineShumMD @CoreyLangerMD @vincentlamMD @BalazsHalmosMD @ChaftJamie @ShirishGadgeel @bherzbergmd @NickRohsMD @salmanpunekar