Andrew T. Parsa MD, PhD
Associate Professor in Residence 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 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-present: Associate Professor in Residence, Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF
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
Selected Recent Publications
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.
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 [published online ahead of print Jun 19, 2009]. J Neurosurg. doi: 10.3171/2009.4.JNS08895.
Han SJ, Yang I, Tihan T, Prados MD, Parsa AT. Clinical features and pathologic diagnosis of primary gliosarcoma. J Neurooncol 2009, In Press
Bloch OG, Jian BJ, Yang I, Han SJ, Aranda D, Ahn BJ, Parsa AT. A systematic review of intracranial chondrosarcoma and survival [published online ahead of print Sep 29, 2009]. J Clin Neurosci. doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2009.05.003.
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 [published online ahead of print Sep 11, 2009]. J Neurosurg. doi: 10.3171/2009.8.JNS098.
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 2009, In Press
Jian B, Bloch O, Yang I, Han SJ, Aranda D, Parsa AT. A comprehensive analysis of intracranial chordoma and survival. Br J Neurosurg 2009, In Press
Han SJ, Yang I, Otero JJ, Ahn BJ, Tihan T, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Prados MD, Parsa AT. Treatment algorithms and clinical outcomes for a modern series of primary gliosarcoma patients. Cancer 2009, In Press
Han SJ, Yang I, Otero JJ, Tihan T, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Chang SM, Parsa AT. Secondary gliosarcoma after diagnosis of high-grade glioma: clinical experience with thirty consecutive patients. J Neurosurg 2009, In Press
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 patients: a paradoxical mechanism of immune evasion. Neuroreport 2009, In Press
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.
Han SJ, Yang I, Tihan T, Chang SM, Parsa AT. Secondary gliosarcoma: a review of clinical features and pathological diagnosis [published online ahead of print May 1, 2009]. J Neurosurg. doi: 10.3171/2009.3.JNS081081.
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
Yeung A, Sughrue ME, Kane AJ, Tihan T, Cheung SW, Parsa AT. The radiobiology of vestibular schwannomas: mechanisms of radioresistance and potential targets for therapeutic sensitization. Neurosurg Focus 2009, In Press
Yang I, Han SJ, Kaur G, Crane C, Parsa AT. Role of microglia in central nervous system immunity and glioma immunology. J Clin Neurosci 2009, In Press
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, In Press
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.