Andrew T. Parsa MD, PhD

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Professor in Residence and Vice Chairman of Neurological Surgery

Principal Investigator, Brain Tumor Research Center

Reza and Georgianna Khatib Endowed Chair in Skull Base Tumor Surgery



Dr. Parsa specializes in adult brain and spinal cord tumors. He is experienced in the surgical treatment of skull base tumors, acoustic neuromas, and intraoperative mapping of brain function to optimize tumor resection. He is also an active member of the Gamma Knife radiosurgery program. Dr. Parsa has extensive research interests including the development of a brain tumor vaccine. He is the first recipient of the Reza and Georgianna Khatib Endowed Chair in Skull Base Tumor Surgery, awarded in 2007.

Read about Dr. Parsa's current research ►

Download a copy of Dr. Parsa's Academic CV (PDF)

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Download the UCSF Acoustic Neuroma & Hearing Preservation Program brochure (PDF)





Education, Training, and Previous Positions

1988: BS, Yale University
1996: MD, PhD, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
1996-1997: Surgical Intern, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
1997-2001: Postdoctoral Residency Fellow, Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
2001-2002: Chief Resident, Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
2002-2006: Assistant Professor in Residence, Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF
2007-2010: Associate Professor in Residence, Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF
2011-Present: Professor in Residence, Department of Neurological Surgery

Selected Professional Memberships and Appointments

Alpha Omega Alpha, Medical Honor Society
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Society of Neuro-oncology
Joint Section on Tumors (AANS/CNS)
North American Skull Base Society
Medical Advisory Board, Acoustic Neuroma Association
Editorial Board, Neurosurgery
Consulting Editor, Neurosurgery Clinics of North America

Selected Honors and Awards

2001: Preuss Residents Research Award, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
2002: Academy Award, Honorable Mention, The American Academy of Neurological Surgeons
2003: NREF Young Clinician Investigator Award, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
2003: Harold Rosegay Teaching Award, UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery
2003: National Brain Tumor Foundation, Translational Research Award
2004: UCSF School of Medicine Kaiser Teaching Award, Nominee
2004: UCSF School of Medicine Academy of Medical Educators, Nominee
2004: UCSF School of Medicine, Cancer Center Career Development Award
2005: UCSF School of Medicine, Academic Senate Teaching Award, Nominee
2006: UCSF Cancer Center, Damon Runyon Scholar Clinical Investigator Award, Nominee
2007: UCSF School of Medicine Kaiser Teaching Award, Nominee
2007: UCSF School of Medicine, Academic Senate Teaching Award, Nominee
2007: Young Clinician Investigator Award, Joint Section on Tumors, American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting
2008: Mahaley Clinical Research Award, Joint Section on Tumors American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting
2009: The American Brain Tumor Association Clinical Research Award, Joint Section on Tumors AANS Annual Meeting
2010: The Journal of Neuro-Oncology Award, Joint Section on Tumors, AANS Annual Meeting
2010: Most Dedicated Mentor Award, Pathways to Careers in Clinical and Translational Research (PACCTR) Program, UCSF School of Medicine
2010: Kaiser Teaching Award Nominee, UCSF School of Medicine

Selected Recent Publications

Tate M, Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Kane AJ, Aranda D, McClinton L, McClinton L, Barani IJ, Parsa AT. The long-term postsurgical prognosis of patients with pineoblastoma. Cancer. 2011 Jun 29. doi: 10.1002/cncr.26300. [Epub ahead of print].

Yang I, Han SJ, Sughrue ME, Tihan T, Parsa AT. Immune cell infiltrate differences in pilocytic astrocytoma and glioblastoma: evidence of distinct immunological microenvironments that reflect tumor biology. J Neurosurg. 2011 Jun doi: 10. 10.3171/2011.4.JNS101172. [Epub ahead of print].

Bloch O, Sughrue ME, Mills SA, Parsa AT. Signaling pathways in cranial chondrosarcoma: potential molecular targets for directed chemotherapy. J Clin Neurosci 2011;18(7):881-5.

Sughrue ME, Choi J, Rutkowski MJ, Aranda D, Kane AJ, Barani IJ, Parsa AT. Clinical features and post-surgical outcome of patients with astroblastoma. J Clin Neurosci 2011;18(6):750-4.

Kane AJ, Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Berger MS, McDermott MW, Parsa AT. Clinical and surgical considerations for cerebellopontine angle meningiomas. J Clin Neurosci 2011;18(6):755-9.

Rutkowski MJ, Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Kim JM, Bloch O, Parsa AT. Epidermal growth factor module-containing mucin-like receptor 2 is a newly identified adhesion G protein-coupled receptor associated with poor overall survival and an invasive phenotype in glioblastoma. J Neurooncol. 2011 Apr 19. [Epub ahead of print].

Kane AJ, Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Shangari G, Fang S, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Parsa AT. Anatomic location is a risk factor for atypical and malignant meningioma. Cancer 2011 Mar 15;117(6):1272-8.

Sughrue ME, Kaur R, Rutkowski MJ, Kane AJ, Kaur G, Yang I, Pitts LH, Parsa AT. Extent of resection and the long-term durability of vestibular schwannoma surgery. J Neurosurg 2011;114(5):1218-23.

Waldron JS, Sughrue ME, Hetts SW, Wilson SP, Mills SA, McDermott MW, Dowd CF, Parsa AT. Embolization of skull base meningiomas and feeding vessels arising from the internal carotid circulation. Neurosurgery 2011;68(1):162-9.

Yang I, Chang EF, Han SJ, Barry JJ, Fang S, Tihan T, Barbaro NM, Parsa AT. Early surgical intervention in adult patients with ganglioglioma is associated with improved clinical seizure outcomes. J Clin Neurosci 2011;18(1):29-33.

Sughrue ME, Kaur R, Kane AJ, Rutkowski MJ, Yang I, Pitts LH, Tihan T, Parsa AT. Intratumoral hemorrhage and fibrosis in vestibular schwannoma: a possible mechanism for hearing loss. J Neurosurg 2011;114(2):386-93.

Sughrue ME, Yang I, Kane AJ, Fang S, Clark AJ, Aranda D, Barani IJ, Parsa AT. Endocrinologic, neurologic, and visual morbidity after treatment for craniopharyngioma. J Neurooncol 2011;101(3):463-76. 

Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Kaur R, Barry JJ, Rutkowski MJ, Pitts LH, Cheung SW, Parsa AT. A prospective study of hearing preservation in untreated vestibular schwannomas. J Neurosurg 2011;114(2):381-5.

Sughrue ME, Yang I, Aranda D, Rutkowski MJ, Fang S, Cheung SW, Parsa AT. Beyond audiofacial morbidity after vestibular schwannoma surgery. J Neurosurg 2011;114(2):367-74.

Bloch OG, Jian BJ, Yang I, Han SJ, Aranda D, Ahn BJ, Parsa AT. Cranial chondrosarcoma and recurrence. Skull Base 2010;20(3):149-56.

Sughrue ME, Kaur R, Rutkowski MJ, Kane AJ, Yang I, Pitts LH, Parsa AT. A critical evaluation of vestibular schwannoma surgery for patients younger than 40 years of age. Neurosurgery 2010;67(6):1646-53.

Sughrue ME, Yang I, Rutkowski MJ, Aranda D, Parsa AT. Preservation of facial nerve function after resection of vestibular schwannoma. Br J Neurosurg 2010;24(6):666-71.

Kane AJ, Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Shangari G, Fang S, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Parsa AT. Anatomic location is a risk factor for atypical and malignant meningiomas. Cancer. 2010 Nov 8. [Epub ahead of print]

Ivan ME, Sughrue ME, Clark AJ, Kane AJ, Aranda D, Barani IJ, Parsa AT. A meta-analysis of tumor control rates and treatment-related morbidity for patients with glomus jugulare tumors. J Neurosurg. 2010 Oct 29. [Epub ahead of print].

Kane AJ, Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Phillips JJ, Parsa AT. EMR-3: a potential mediator of invasive phenotypic variation in glioblastoma and novel therapeutic target. Neuroreport 2010;21(16):1018-22.

Sughrue ME, Kaur R, Kane AJ, Rutkowsk MJ, Kaur G, Parsa AT. Human glioma demonstrates cell line specific results with ATP-based chemiluminescent cellular proliferation assays. J Clin Neuroscience 2010;17(12):1573-7.

Waldron JS, Yang I, Han S, Tihan T, Sughrue ME, Mills SA, Kane AJ, Pieper RO, Parsa AT. Implications for immunotherapy of tumor-mediated T-cell apoptosis associated with loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN in glioblastoma. J Clin Neurosci 2010;17(12):1543-7.

Yang I, Tihan T, Han SJ, Wrensch MR, Wiencke J, Sughrue ME, Parsa AT. CD8+ T-cell infiltrate in newly diagnosed glioblastoma is associated with long-term survival. J Clin Neuroscience 2010;17(11):1381-5. 

Bloch OG, Sughrue ME, Kaur R, Kane AJ, Rutkowski MJ, Kaur G, Yang I, Pitts LH, and Parsa AT. Factors associated with preservation of facial nerve function after surgical resection of vestibular schwannoma [published online ahead of print August 6, 2010]. J Neurooncol. doi: 10.1007/s11060-010-0315-5.

Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Chang EF, Shangari G, Kane AJ, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Parsa AT. Postoperative seizures following the resection of convexity meningiomas: are prophylactic anticonvulsants indicated? [published online ahead of print June 25, 2010]. J Neurosurg. doi: 10.3171/2010.5.JNS091972.

Rutkowski MJ, Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Ahn BJ, Fang S, Parsa AT. The complement cascade as a mediator of tissue growth and regeneration. Inflamm Res 2010;59(11):897-905.

Clark AJ, Sughrue ME, Ivan ME, Aranda D, Rutkowski MJ, Kane AJ, Chang S, Parsa AT. Factors influencing overall survival rates for patients with pineocytoma. J Neurooncol 2010;100(2):255-60.

Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Aranda D, Barani IJ, McDermott MW, Parsa AT. Factors affecting outcome following treatment of patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas. J Neurosurg 2010;113(5):1087-92.

Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Aranda D, Barani IJ, McDermott MW, Parsa AT. Treatment decision making based on the published natural history and growth rate of small meningiomas. J Neurosurg 2010;113(5):1036-42.

Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Shangari G, Rutkowski MJ, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Parsa AT. The relevance of Simpson Grade I and II resection in modern neurosurgical treatment of World Health Organization Grade I meningiomas. J Neurosurg 2010;113(5):1029-35.

Rutkowski MJ, Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Aranda D, Mills SA, Barani IJ, Parsa AT. Predictors of mortality following treatment of intracranial hemangiopericytoma. J Neurosurg 2010;113(2):333-9.

Kane AJ, Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Aranda D, Mills SA, Buencamino R, Fang S, Barani IJ, Parsa AT. Posttreatment prognosis of patients with esthesioneuroblastoma. J Neurosurg 2010;113(2):340-51.

Clark AJ, Ivan ME, Sughrue ME, Yang I, Aranda D, Han SJ, Kane AJ, Parsa AT. Tumor control after surgery and radiotherapy for pineocytoma. J Neurosurg 2010;113(2):319-24

Sughrue ME, Kaur R, Kane AJ, Rutkowski MJ, Kaur G, Yang I, Pitts LH, Parsa AT. The value of intraoperative facial nerve electromyography in predicting facial nerve function after vestibular schwannoma surgery. J Clin Neurosci 2010;17(7):849-52.

Yang I, Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Kaur R, Ivan ME, Aranda D, Barani IJ, Parsa AT. Craniopharyngioma: a comparison of tumor control with various treatment strategies. Neurosurg Focus 2010;28(4):E5.

Jian BJ, Bloch OG, Yang I, Han SJ, Aranda D, Tihan T, Parsa AT. Adjuvant radiation therapy and chondroid chordoma subtype are associated with a lower tumor recurrence rate of cranial chordoma. J Neurooncol 2010;98(1):101-8.

Sughrue ME, Yang I, Aranda D, Lobo K, Pitts LH, Cheung SW, Parsa AT. The natural history of untreated sporadic vestibular schwannomas: a comprehensive review of hearing outcomes. J Neurosurg 2010;112(1):163-7.

Han SJ, Yang I, Tihan T, Prados MD, Parsa AT. Primary gliosarcoma: key clinical and pathologic distinctions from glioblastoma with implications as a unique oncologic entity. J Neurooncol 2010;96(3):313-20.

Yang I, Sughrue ME, Han SJ, Aranda D, Pitts LH, Cheung SW, Parsa AT. A comprehensive analysis of hearing preservation after radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma. J Neurosurg 2010;112(4):851-9.

Crane CA, Han SJ, Barry JJ, Ahn BJ, Lanier LL, Parsa AT. TGF-beta downregulates the activating receptor NKG2D on NK cells and CD8+ T cells in glioma patients. Neuro Oncol 2010;12(1):7-13.

Han SJ, Yang I, Ahn BJ, Otero JJ, Tihan T, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Prados MD, Parsa AT. Clinical characteristics and outcomes for a modern series of primary gliosarcoma patients. Cancer 2010;116(5):1358-66.

Cheung SW, Aranda D, Driscoll CL, Parsa AT. Mapping clinical outcomes expectations to treatment decisions: an application to vestibular schwannoma management. Otol Neurotol 2010;31(2):284-93.

Han SJ, Yang I, Otero JJ, Ahn BJ, Tihan T, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Chang SM, Parsa AT. Secondary gliosarcoma after diagnosis of glioblastoma: clinical experience with 30 consecutive patients. J Neurosurg 2010;112(5):990-6.

Han SJ, Waldron JS, Yang I, Ahn BJ, Fang S, Crane CA, Pieper RO, Parsa AT. Gamma interferon-mediated superinduction of B7-H1 in PTEN-deficient glioblastoma: a paradoxical mechanism of immune evasion. Neuroreport 2009;20(18):1597-602.

Crane C, Panner A, Pieper RO, Arbiser J, Parsa AT. Honokiol-mediated inhibition of PI3K/mTOR pathway: a potential strategy to overcome immunoresistance in glioma, breast, and prostate carcinoma without impacting T cell function. J Immunother 2009;32(6):585-92.

Crane C, Panner A, Wilson SP, Haiying Xu H, Chen L, Simko JP, Waldman FM, Pieper R, Parsa AT. A mechanism for immune escape in breast and prostate cancer patients is associated with oncogenic P(I)3 Kinase activation Oncogene 2009;28(2):306-12.

Parney IF, Waldron JS, Parsa AT. Flow cytometry and in vitro analysis of human glioma-associated macrophages.  J Neurosurg 2009;110(3):572-82.

Yang I, Aranda D, Han SJ, Chennupati S, Sughrue ME, Cheung SW, Pitts LH, Parsa AT. Hearing preservation after stereotactic radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma: A systematic review. J Clin Neurosci 2009;16(6):742-7.

Yang I, Sughrue ME, Han SJ, Fang S, Aranda D, Cheung SW, Pitts LH, Parsa AT. Facial nerve preservation after vestibular schwannoma Gamma Knife radiosurgery. J Neurooncol 2009;93(1):41-8.

Chi JH, Panner A, Cachola K, Crane CA, Murray J, Pieper RO, James CD, Parsa AT. Increased expression of the glioma-associated antigen ARF4L after loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN. J Neurosurg 2008;108(2):299-303.
 
Parsa AT, Waldron JS, Panner A, Crane CA, Parney IF, Barry JJ, Cachola KE, Murray JC, Tarik Tihan T, Jensen MC, Mischel PS, Stokoe D, Pieper RO. Loss of tumor suppressor PTEN function increases B7-H1 expression and immunoresistance in glioma. Nat Med 2007;13(1):84-88.
 
Parsa AT, Wachhorst S, Lamborn KR, Prados MD, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Chang SM. Prognostic significance of intracranial dissemination of glioblastoma multiforme in adults. J Neurosurg 2005;102(4):622-8.
 
Parsa AT, Miller JI, Eggers AE, Anderson RC, Ogden AT, Bruce JN. Autologous adjuvant linked fibroblasts induce anti-glioma immunity: implications for development of a glioma vaccine. J Neurooncol 2003;64(1-2):77-87.   

Selected Recent Case Reports and Reviews

Parsa AT. A newly identified transcriptional network for mesenchymal transformation of brain tumors: potential targets for therapeutic intervention. World Neurosurg 2010;73(5):424. 

Sughrue ME, Yeung AH, Rutkowski MJ, Cheung SW, Parsa AT. Molecular biology of familial and sporadic vestibular schwannomas: implications for novel therapeutics. J Neurosurg 2011;114(2):359-66.

Barry JJ, Jian BJ, Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Mills SA, Tihan T, Parsa AT. The next step: innovative molecular targeted therapies for treatment of intracranial chordoma patients. Neurosurgery 2011;68(1):231-40.

Kane AJ, Sughrue ME, Rutkowski MJ, Tihan T, Parsa AT. The molecular pathology of central neurocytomas. J Clin Neurosci 2011 Jan;18(1):1-6. 

Rutkowski MJ, Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Mills SA, Fang S, Parsa AT. Complement and the central nervous system: emerging roles in development, protection and regeneration. Immunol Cell Biol 2010;88(8):781-6.

Deipolyi A, Auguste KI, Yang I, Tihan T, Parsa AT. Occipital ganglioglioma in an older adult. J Clin Neuroscience 2010;17(11):1459-61.

Jian BJ, Waldron JS, Yang I, Han SJ, Tihan T, Parsa AT. Surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy for a large pineal hemangiopericytoma. J Clin Neurosci; 17:1209-11, 2010.

de Ipolyi AR, Han SJ, Parsa AT. Development of a symptomatic intracranial meningioma in a male-to-female transsexual after initiation of hormone therapy J Clin Neurosci 2010;17:1324-1326.

Bloch OG, Jian BJ, Yang I, Han SJ, Aranda D, Ahn BJ, Parsa AT. A systematic review of intracranial chondrosarcoma and survival. J Clin Neurosci 2009;16(12):1547-51.

Sughrue ME, Yang I, Han SJ, Aranda D, Kane AJ, Amoils M, Smith ZA, Parsa AT. Non-audiofacial morbidity after Gamma Knife surgery for vestibular schwannoma [Review]. Neurosurg Focus 2009;27(6):E4.

Yang I, Huh NG, Smith ZA, Han SJ, Parsa AT. Distinguishing glioma recurrence from treatment effect after radiochemotherapy and immunotherapy. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2010;21(1):77-86.

Han SJ, Yang I, Tihan T, Chang SM, Parsa AT. Secondary gliosarcoma: a review of clinical features and pathological diagnosis. J Neurosurg 2010;112(1):26-32
 
Jian B, Yang I, Parsa AT. Monitoring immune responses after glioma vaccine immunotherapy. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2010;21(1):195-9.

Yang I, Huh NG, Smith ZA, Han SJ, Parsa AT. Distinguishing glioma recurrence from treatment effect after radiochemotherapy and immunotherapy. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2010;21(1):181-6.

Yang I, Fang S, Parsa AT. Heat shock proteins in glioblastomas. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2010;21(1):111-23.

Yang I, Han SJ, Kaur G, Crane C, Parsa AT. The role of microglia in central nervous system immunity and glioma immunology. J Clin Neurosci 2010;17(1):6-10.

Yang I, Han S, Parsa AT. Heat-shock protein vaccines as active immunotherapy against human gliomas. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2009;9(11):1577-82.

Sughrue ME, Yang I, Kane AJ, Rutkowski MJ, Fang S, James CD, Parsa AT. Immunological considerations of modern animal models of malignant primary brain tumors. J Transl Med 2009;7:84.

Yeung AH, Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Tihan T, Cheung SW, Parsa AT. Radiobiology of vestibular schwannomas: mechanisms of radioresistance and potential targets for therapeutic sensitization. Neurosurg Focus 2009;27(6):E2.

Tate MC, Banerjee A, Vandenberg S, Chi JH, Ames CP, Parsa AT. Post-radiation reactive changes in a single vertebral body mimicking metastatic pineoblastoma. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2009;4(5):479-83.

Sughrue ME, McDermott MW, Parsa AT. Vision salvage after resection of a giant meningioma in a patient with a loss in light perception. J Neurosurg 2009;110(1):109-11.
 
Yang I, Delpolyi A, Sughrue ME, Rubenstein J, Bollen AW, Parsa AT. Sarcoidosis of the pineal gland: an unusual presentation of neurosarcoidosis. J Neurooncol 2009;91(1):113-6.
 
deIpolyi AR, Yang I, Cheung S, Bollen AW, Barbaro N, Parsa AT. Fluctuating Response of Cystic Vestibular Schwannoma after Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: comprehensive management algorithm and clinical case review. Neurosurgery 2008;62(5):1164-5.
 
Waldron JS, Tihan T, Parsa AT. Solitary fibrous tumor arising from Cranial Nerve VI in the prepontine cistern: case report and review of a tumor subpopulation mimicking schwannoma. Neurosurgery 2006;59(4):E939-40; discussion E940.
 
Chi JH, Parsa AT. Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis: clinical management and surgical considerations [Review]. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2006;17(1):45-50.
 
Chi JH, Cachola K, Parsa AT. Genetics and molecular biology of intramedullary spinal cord tumors [Review]. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2006;17(1):1-5.
 
Tihan T, Chi JH, McCormick PC, Ames CP, Parsa AT. Pathologic and epidemiologic findings of intramedullary spinal cord tumors. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2006;17(1):7-11.
 
Parsa AT, Chi JH, Acosta FL Jr, Ames CP, McCormick PC. Intramedullary spinal cord tumors: molecular insights and surgical innovation. Clin Neurosurg 2005;52:76-84.
 
Parsa AT, Holland EC. Cooperative translational control of gene expression by Ras and Akt in cancer [Review]. Trends Mol Med 2004;10(12):607-13.
 
Parsa AT, Lee J, Parney IF, Weinstein P, McCormick PC, Ames C. Spinal cord and intradural-extraparenchymal spinal tumors: current best care practices and strategies [Review]. J Neurooncol 2004;69(1-3):291-318.
 
Lee J, McDermott MW, Chang SM, Parsa AT. Intraventricular neurocytomas [Review]. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2003;14(4):483-508.