Dr. Ashley Margol, Director of Children's Hospital Los Angeles' Brain Tumor Center, is an expert on Medulloblastoma and available to discuss the tumor which has made recent headlines. The rare malignant tumor is mainly a pediatric disease, and it is one that the CHLA Brain Tumor Center manages frequently.

To facilitate an interview, email at [email protected] Dr. Margol can provide details on the following:

  • It is malignant tumor that occurs in the back of the brain in an area called the cerebellum
  • About 350 people are diagnosed with medulloblastoma each year in the US and the vast majority are children although it can occur in adolescents and young adults
  • Here at the CHLA Brain Tumor Center, we take care of 10-15 children each year with medulloblastoma
  • Treatment always requires a multidisciplinary team as patients typically require surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
  • The exact therapy depends on many factors including the age of the patient, whether the tumor has spread to other parts of the brain or spinal cord, how much tumor the neurosurgeon was able to remove and the genetics of the tumor. All of these factors are taken into consideration to determine the doses of radiation required and the appropriate chemotherapy regimen 

Background and information about Dr Margol is located on the chla.org website:

https://www.chla.org/profile/ashley-margol-md-ms

https://www.chla.org/clinical/care-innovation/advancing-care-and-innovation-pediatric-brain-tumors