Rojas wins award from Congress of Neurological Surgeons
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons presented Pavel Pichardo Rojas, MD, MSc, research assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery, with the AANS/CNS Joint Section, Tumor Neuro-Oncology Trainee Award at the CNS annual meeting, Sept. 9-13 in Washington D.C.
“This award not only represents the result of the immense effort put in with my mentors and team, but also the culmination of years of education and unwavering support from my family,” Rojas said. “This marks a significant milestone in my academic career. It also serves as reminder that achieving goals doesn’t require geniality, but rather passion and genuine love for what you do. Ordinary individuals are doing extraordinary things every day.”
Rojas’ project, “DWI and ADC Changes in Patients with Glioblastoma IDH-Wild Type Following Surgical Tumor Resection,” underwent rigorous evaluation by the organization’s scientific committee, which considered over 3,000 submissions for the meeting. The award is presented to a high-ranking brain tumor clinical or basic science abstract submitted from a rising program.
The study examined over 300 patients diagnosed with glioblastoma to understand the impact of MRI changes represented by apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) around the surgical resection area on patient outcomes.
“The study revealed that more than half of the patients with glioblastoma experienced restricted diffusion after surgery, but surprisingly most of these changes did not lead to noticeable symptoms in the patients,” Rojas said. “A crucial finding was that patients who underwent more extensive tumor removal had better overall survival and functional outcomes, particularly when these postoperative changes were not present.”
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons enhances health and improves lives through innovated neurosurgical education, advancement of clinical practice, and scientific exchange. The Congress was founded in 1951 to meet the needs of young neurosurgeons returning home from World War II looking improve both their skills and the health of their communities.