Veronica Chiang, MD, FAANS
Professor of NeurosurgeryCards
Additional Titles
Assistant Dean for Admissions, Medical Education
Associate Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Director, Gamma Knife Center, YNHH
Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery Fellowship
Administrative Support
Publications Overview
- 262 Publications
- 12,072 Citations
- 76 Yale Co-Authors
Additional Titles
Assistant Dean for Admissions, Medical Education
Associate Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Director, Gamma Knife Center, YNHH
Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery Fellowship
Administrative Support
Publications Overview
- 262 Publications
- 12,072 Citations
- 76 Yale Co-Authors
Additional Titles
Assistant Dean for Admissions, Medical Education
Associate Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Director, Gamma Knife Center, YNHH
Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery Fellowship
Administrative Support
Publications Overview
- 262 Publications
- 12,072 Citations
- 76 Yale Co-Authors
About
Titles
Professor of Neurosurgery
Assistant Dean for Admissions, Medical Education; Associate Vice Chair of Academic Affairs; Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery; Director, Gamma Knife Center, YNHH; Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery FellowshipBiography
Dr Chiang leads the Brain Metastasis Program at Yale. This Program is comprised of a multi-disciplinary group of physicians in the specialty areas of Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Neurosurgery, Radiology, Pathology and Neuro-Oncology. This nationally unique program is specifically dedicated to the coordinated clinical management of patients with Brain Metastases as well as the performance of basic science, translational and clinical trial research in this area. This group meets at least once weekly at a CME-accredited Tumor Boardto discuss both the clinical and potential research pertinent to the management of our cancer patients with brain and spine metastases. Watch a video with Dr. Veronica Chiang>>
As the lead Neurosurgeon in this Program, Dr Chiang specializes in:
- Standard neurosurgical management of brain metastases.
- Gamma Knife radiosurgery treatment of brain metastases. This focused radiation tool can be used both as first line treatment, as well as salvage following whole brain radiation therapy and or prior radiosurgery. Particular interest in melanoma and lung cancer.
- The management of post-radiosurgery complications – tumor regrowth versus adverse radiation effects (radiation induced inflammation)
- Clinical Trials using novel immunotherapies for treatment of brain metastases (Clinical Trials.gov: Identifier # NCT02085070)
Dr Chiang has joint appointments in the Departments of Neurosurgery and Radiation Oncology here at Yale University School of Medicine. As the Medical Director of the Gamma Knife Center since 2006, Dr Chiang has participated in state and national discussions regarding the development of guidelines for the radiosurgical management of brain metastases. She is known nationally and internationally for her research on the clinical as well as radiological outcomes of radiosurgical treatment of brain metastases. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier #:NCT02005614). She has also extensively published on the efficacy and outcome of radiosurgery for many other brain lesions.
In addition, she is the director of the Yale New Haven Hospital Radiosurgery Fellowship Program for Neurosurgery and Radiation Oncology.
Laser Thermal Ablation (LTA)
LTA is the use of heat emitted from a laser fiber to treat lesions in the brain. It is a cutting edge, minimally invasive technology that allows neurosurgeons to treat lesions inside the skull through a small incision visualized in real time using MRI monitoring. (link to Monteris website – MyBrainTumorOptions.com).
As one of the first and longest users of MRI-guided LTA in the USA, Dr Chiang now has 4 years of experience treating a variety of brain tumors and is a national leader in the use of LTA treatment for brain metastases that have regrown following radiosurgery where no other treatment options have been available.
She is currently the lead investigator on a clinical trial studying quality of life in patients with brain metastases regrowing after radiosurgery and the impact of LTA (LAASR study – Identifier #: NCT01651078) Dr Chiang also has a significant experience in the use of LTA in conjunction with targeted and immunotherapies especially for lung cancer and melanoma.
Appointments
Office of the Dean, School of Medicine
Assistant DeanDualNeurosurgery
ProfessorPrimaryTherapeutic Radiology
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Brain Tumor Surgery
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Gamma Knife Center
- Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
- Neurosurgery
- Office of the Dean, School of Medicine
- Radiobiology and Genome Integrity
- Red College Affiliates
- SPORE in Lung Cancer
- Therapeutic Radiology
- Yale Cancer Center
- Yale Medicine
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- Resident
- Yale University School of Medicine (2000)
- Fellow
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2000)
- Fellow
- Yale-New Haven Hospital (1994)
- MD
- University of Western Australia (1992)
- BMedSci
- University of Western Australia
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Harriet Kluger, MD
James B. Yu, MD, MHS, FASTRO
Lucia Jilaveanu, MD, PhD
Henry S. Park, MD, MPH
Scott Gettinger, MD
Sarah Goldberg, MD, MPH
Brain Neoplasms
Radiosurgery
Neoplasm Metastasis
Neurosurgery
Publications
2024
Patterns of brain metastases response to immunotherapy with pembrolizumab
Mahajan A, Goldberg S, Weiss S, Tran T, Singh K, Joshi K, Aboian M, Kluger H, Chiang V. Patterns of brain metastases response to immunotherapy with pembrolizumab. Journal Of Neuro-Oncology 2024, 1-7. PMID: 38963658, DOI: 10.1007/s11060-024-04754-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-small cell lung cancerBrain metastasesComplete resolutionLung cancerMedian time to CNS progressionLesion progressionNon-small cell lung cancer patientsModified RECIST criteriaPD-1 inhibitorsTrial of pembrolizumabEffective systemic treatmentResponse to immunotherapyPhase II trialCell lung cancerMethodsThis retrospective studyLocal treatment decisionsPurposeCentral nervous systemCNS progressionRECIST criteriaPD-1Local therapySystemic treatmentMRI evaluationResponse assessmentRetrospective studyExecutive summary of the American Radium Society appropriate use criteria for brain metastases in epidermal growth factor receptor mutated-mutated and ALK-fusion non-small cell lung cancer
Nagpal S, Milano M, Chiang V, Soltys S, Brackett A, Halasz L, Garg A, Sahgal A, Ahluwalia M, Tom M, Palmer J, Knisley J, Chao S, Gephart M, Wang T, Lo S, Chang E. Executive summary of the American Radium Society appropriate use criteria for brain metastases in epidermal growth factor receptor mutated-mutated and ALK-fusion non-small cell lung cancer. Neuro-Oncology 2024, 26: 1195-1212. PMID: 38459978, PMCID: PMC11226873, DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noae041.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsNon-small cell lung cancerTyrosine kinase inhibitorsCell lung cancerCentral nervous systemAmerican Radium SocietyALK-fusionBrain metastasesAmerican Radium Society Appropriate Use CriteriaLung cancerSequence of tyrosine kinase inhibitorsALK tyrosine kinase inhibitorsTreatment of brain metastasesEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitorsWhole-brain RTEpidermal growth factor receptorGrowth factor receptorAppropriate Use CriteriaBrain RTEGFR-mutantRadiotherapyTreatment optionsFactor receptorKinase inhibitorsNervous systemLiterature searchLaser interstitial thermal therapy for new and recurrent meningioma: a prospective and retrospective case series.
Chiang V, Pugazenthi S, Leidig W, Rodriguez A, Prabhu S, Haskell-Mendoza A, Fecci P, Placantonakis D, Abram S, Lega B, Kim A. Laser interstitial thermal therapy for new and recurrent meningioma: a prospective and retrospective case series. Journal Of Neurosurgery 2024, 1-11. PMID: 38457795, DOI: 10.3171/2023.12.jns231542.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsLaser interstitial thermal therapyInterstitial thermal therapyRecurrent meningiomasComplication rateTreatment optionsFollow-upCohort studyResistant to standard therapyBrain tumorsProgression-free survivalOutcome dataOverall survival rateRetrospective case seriesProspective multicenter registryPatients to dateThermal therapyStandard therapyMulticenter registryAblation coverageCase seriesTumor typesAdult patientsMedian lengthMeningiomasDisease progression
2023
SURG-32. EFFICACY OF LASER INTERSTITIAL THERMAL THERAPY (LITT) FOR BIOPSY-PROVEN RADIATION NECROSIS IN RADIOGRAPHICALLY RECURRENT BRAIN METASTASES
Strowd R, Chan M, Tatter S, Chiang V, Fecci P, Prabhu S, Hadjipanayis C, Kirkpatrick J, Sun D, Sinicrope K, Mohammadi A, Sevak P, Abram S, Kim A, Leuthardt E, Chao S, Phillips J, Lacroix M, Williams B, Placantonakis D, Silverman J, Baumgartner J, Piccioni D, Laxton A. SURG-32. EFFICACY OF LASER INTERSTITIAL THERMAL THERAPY (LITT) FOR BIOPSY-PROVEN RADIATION NECROSIS IN RADIOGRAPHICALLY RECURRENT BRAIN METASTASES. Neuro-Oncology 2023, 25: v269-v269. PMCID: PMC10640195, DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad179.1031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLaser interstitial thermal therapyKarnofsky performance statusRadiation necrosisInterstitial thermal therapyBrain metastasesRadiographic progressionKaplan-MeierStereotactic radiosurgeryLocal controlMedian Karnofsky performance statusFuture radiographic progressionRadiotherapeutic treatment optionsResults Ninety patientsBrain metastasis patientsMulti-center registryRecurrent brain metastasesMedian hospitalization timeLesional progressionMultivariable FineNinety patientsSymptom controlCumulative incidenceMetastasis patientsPerformance statusSystemic therapySelected-Lesion Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Treatment of Patients with Multiple Brain Metastases: A Single Institution Retrospective Study
Mange A, Singh C, Theriault B, Hansen J, An Y, Aneja S, Chiang V. Selected-Lesion Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Treatment of Patients with Multiple Brain Metastases: A Single Institution Retrospective Study. International Journal Of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics 2023, 117: e135. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.06.939.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMultiple brain metastasesBrain metastasesStereotactic radiosurgeryMedian KPSCommon indicationTumor characteristicsClinical trialsSRS treatmentSingle-institution retrospective studySubsequent-line treatmentMethods Clinical dataPatient selection criteriaTreatment of patientsSubset of lesionsNumber of lesionsDiagnosis of melanomaCNS progressionCNS radiationPrior WBRTOverall survivalPalliative treatmentPatient characteristicsProgressive diseaseImmunotherapy trialsSurvival groupSelected-Lesion SRS as a Novel Strategy in Treatment of Patients with Multiple Brain Metastases
Singh C, Theriault B, An Y, Yu J, Knisely J, Shepard M, Wegner R, Warnick R, Peker S, Samanci Y, Trifiletti D, Lee C, Yang H, Bernstein K, Kondziolka D, Tripathi M, Mathieu D, Mantziaris G, Pikis S, Sheehan J, Chiang V. Selected-Lesion SRS as a Novel Strategy in Treatment of Patients with Multiple Brain Metastases. International Journal Of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics 2023, 117: e150-e151. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.06.971.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWhole-brain radiation therapyTreatment of patientsSystemic diseaseBrain metastasesLesion locationIntracranial lesionsPrior whole-brain radiation therapyMultiple brain metastasesBrain radiation therapyUntreated brain metastasesBrain metastasis treatmentCurrent practice patternsSigns/symptomsPresence of symptomsMATERIAL/METHODSImmunotherapy optionsSystemic therapyUntreated lesionsMedical oncologyPerilesional edemaDrug optionsClinical trialsPractice patternsClinical indicationsMetastasis treatmentPACS-Integrated Tools for Peritumoral Edema Volumetrics Provide Additional Information to RANO-BM-Based Assessment of Lung Cancer Brain Metastases after Stereotactic Radiotherapy: A Pilot Study
Kaur M, Petersen G, Jekel L, von Reppert M, Varghese S, de Oliveira Santo I, Avesta A, Aneja S, Omuro A, Chiang V, Aboian M. PACS-Integrated Tools for Peritumoral Edema Volumetrics Provide Additional Information to RANO-BM-Based Assessment of Lung Cancer Brain Metastases after Stereotactic Radiotherapy: A Pilot Study. Cancers 2023, 15: 4822. PMID: 37835516, PMCID: PMC10571649, DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194822.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsPost-SRTStereotactic radiotherapyLung cancer brain metastasesCancer brain metastasesPost-contrast T1-weighted imagesSignificant clinical symptomsContrast-enhancing tumorT1-weighted imagesCritical additional informationEdema changesBrain metastasesClinical symptomsCare treatmentHyperintense volumeEdema assessmentLesion changesLesion sizeEdemaDifferent timepointsPilot studyRadiotherapyLesionsVolumetric changesAdditional informationMETSSelected-Lesion Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SL-SRS) as a Novel Strategy in the Treatment of Patients With Multiple Brain Metastases
Theriault B, Singh C, Yu J, Knisely J, Shepard M, Wegner R, Warnick R, Peker S, Samanci Y, Trifiletti D, Lee C, Yang H, Bernstein K, Kondziolka D, Tripathi M, Mathieu D, Mantziaris G, Pikis S, Sheehan J, Chiang V. Selected-Lesion Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SL-SRS) as a Novel Strategy in the Treatment of Patients With Multiple Brain Metastases. Cureus 2023, 15: e45457. PMID: 37859877, PMCID: PMC10583225, DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45457.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWhole brain radiotherapyInternational Radiosurgery Research FoundationPrior whole brain radiotherapyBrain metastasesStereotactic radiosurgeryCommon reasonAsymptomatic brain metastasesNon-eloquent locationsSystemic treatment optionsMultiple brain metastasesPoor functional statusTreatment of patientsCentral nervous systemAttributable symptomsExtracranial diseaseSystemic therapyUntreated lesionsMedical oncologySystemic diseaseFunctional statusTreatment optionsClinical trialsSingle lesionLesion locationIntracranial lesionsJS09.5.A18F-FLUCICLOVINE PET FOR DETECTION OF RECURRENT BRAIN METASTASES AFTER RADIATION THERAPY: IMAGE INTERPRETATION CRITERIA RESULTS FROM PURSUE, A PROSPECTIVE PHASE 2 TRIAL
Kotecha R, Chiang V, Tom M, Nabavizadeh A, Zan E, Peddi S, Sulman E, Siegel B, Huang J, Brem S, Ware M, Kesari S, Parent E, Pope W, Holmes R, Chau A, Teoh E, Chao S, Aboian M. JS09.5.A18F-FLUCICLOVINE PET FOR DETECTION OF RECURRENT BRAIN METASTASES AFTER RADIATION THERAPY: IMAGE INTERPRETATION CRITERIA RESULTS FROM PURSUE, A PROSPECTIVE PHASE 2 TRIAL. Neuro-Oncology 2023, 25: ii12-ii13. PMCID: PMC10489492, DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad137.034.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecurrent brain metastasesImage interpretation criteriaBrain metastasesRadiation therapyLesion uptakeDiagnostic performancePredictive valueProspective phase 2 trialSolid tumor brain metastasesTumor brain metastasesPhase 2 trialInterpretation criteriaNegative predictive valueLow background uptakePositive predictive valueExcellent diagnostic performanceBM recurrencePost-MRIPrimary endpointSecondary endpointsRadiation necrosisReference lesionsUnnecessary surgeryHistopathological analysisInitial cohortNEIM-05 PURSUE: RESULTS FROM A PROSPECTIVE, PHASE 2B TRIAL TO DEFINE IMAGE INTERPRETATION CRITERIA FOR18F-FLUCICLOVINE-PET FOR DETECTION OF RECURRENT BRAIN METASTASES AFTER RADIATION THERAPY
Kotecha R, Chiang V, Tom M, Nabavizadeh A, Zan E, Peddi S, Sulman E, Siegel B, Huang J, Brem S, Ware M, Kesari S, Parent E, Pope W, Holmes R, Chau A, Teoh E, Chao S, Aboian M. NEIM-05 PURSUE: RESULTS FROM A PROSPECTIVE, PHASE 2B TRIAL TO DEFINE IMAGE INTERPRETATION CRITERIA FOR18F-FLUCICLOVINE-PET FOR DETECTION OF RECURRENT BRAIN METASTASES AFTER RADIATION THERAPY. Neuro-Oncology Advances 2023, 5: iii15-iii15. PMCID: PMC10402431, DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdad070.057.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Determining Mechanisms of Sensitivity and Resistance to Anti-Cancer Therapy for Advanced Lung Cancer
HIC ID1603017333RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/20/2026Recruiting Participants
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
honor First Class Honours (Thesis degree BMedSci)
UnknownDetails01/01/1991United Stateshonor Asthma Foundation of Australia Scholarship
UnknownDetails01/01/1990United Stateshonor National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Medical Undergraduate Scholarship
UnknownDetails01/01/1988United States
Clinical Care
Overview
Veronica Chiang MD, a neurosurgeon and director of the Gamma Knife Center at Yale New Haven Hospital, specializes in treating metastatic cancer to the brain using a multidisciplinary approach. She offers both standard neurosurgical surgery as well as cutting edge procedures such as laser thermocoagulation. In addition, she specializes in the use of radiosurgery. This technique allows doctors to transmit radiation directly to tumor cells and avoid radiating healthy brain cells, which can help improve patients’ quality of life after treatment.
Dr. Chiang acknowledges that brain surgery can be a big step for patients and provides as much information about the procedure as possible. “Knowledge helps people deal with how scary it might feel,” she says.
In addition to treating patients, Dr. Chiang conducts research on managing patient care through multidisciplinary approaches, and how technologies like thermocoagulation and radiosurgery can help patients with brain metastases. “The neurological system is one of the last areas where there’s very little known about it. I love learning about it and figuring out how to improve patient’s lives,” she says.
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
Learn More on Yale MedicineMetastatic Brain Tumors
Learn More on Yale MedicinePrimary Brain Tumors
Learn More on Yale MedicineRadiation Therapy with Gamma Knife
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Yale Medicine News
Are You a Patient?
View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.
View Doctor ProfileLinks & Media
News
- December 18, 2022
Yale Cancer Center Study Characterizes Link Between Drug Resistance and Central Nervous System Relapse
- May 03, 2022
Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital physicians recognized as Connecticut Magazine 'Best Doctors'
- September 08, 2021
Veronica Chiang, MD, Appointed Assistant Dean for Admissions for the MD Program
- June 02, 2021
Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital physicians recognized as Connecticut Magazine 'Best Doctors'
Get In Touch
Contacts
Administrative Support
Locations
Yale Neurosurgery
Academic Office
Tompkins Memorial Pavilion
789 Howard Avenue, Ste 4th Floor
New Haven, CT 06519
Fax
203.785.2098Appointments
203.785.2808Patient Care Locations
Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.