Dana Mohrlein, 35, astrocytoma, Niantic CT, with David Reardon, MD Clinical Director, Center of Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber

In college, Dana thought she may have vertigo because of all her headaches, but after a
seizure at her first security job, she learned she needed emergency brain surgery. After surgery
at her local hospital, she pursued a second opinion at Dana-Farber and has continued her
journey from there since. She had two additional brain surgeries that same summer at
Brigham-Women's Hospital. Shortly after, she started high dose radiation locally, in partnership
with Dana-Farber, and did 11 months of oral chemotherapy.
· After treatment, 11 years passed until Dana had a recurrence last spring and underwent
a fourth brain surgery. She now takes an inhibitor drug called Tibsovo, a medication specific to
her mutation, that requires her to take two pills every day. The drug was released around the
time of Dana’s most recent recurrence, and she expresses it will hopefully be her “miracle
medicine” for the rest of her life.
· At Dana-Farber, she recalls always being “pumped” to see her oncologist, Dr. Reardon,
because of their close relationship. Dr. Reardon always greets Dana with a huge smile and a hug
at every appointment. Dana is also part of the new Peer to Peer mentoring program with brings
new brain cancer patients together with older ones. She echoes that you're not just a patient at
Dana-Farber, but part of something much greater. Dana would also like to shout out her friend
Dan Gruener, who passed away from cancer in 2013. The two made a cancer pact and Dana
continues to honor that each day by doing everything in his honor.
Astrocytoma facts
· Astrocytomas and gliomas are tumors that grow from brain cells called astrocytes.
· These tumors can often develop in the cerebellum, the cerebrum, the brainstem, the
hypothalamus, or the visual pathway.
· These brain tumors are either classified as low-grade (grades I and II) or high-grade
(grades III and IV) tumors. Children with low-grade tumors have a relatively favorable prognosis,
especially when the tumors can be completely resected.
· According to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, these tumors account for almost
half of all childhood tumors starting in the brain or spinal cord. Astrocytoma is the most
common type of glioma diagnosed in children.

· Survival rates depend on the child’s specific type, location and grade of tumor; whether
the tumor is localized; the child’s age when diagnosed; and whether the astrocytoma is newly
diagnosed or recurring.
David Reardon, MD
· Besides a skilled clinician, Dr. Reardon is an active researcher with special interests in the
design and implementation of clinical trials for neuro-oncology and the pre-clinical evaluation of
promising therapeutics for central nervous system tumor patients.
· His work includes using innovative clinical therapeutic agents to improve the cure rates
in patients with brain and spinal tumors, with particular focus on the use of novel
“tumor-targeting” therapeutics.
· He also is working on Immunotherapy drugs or ""vaccines"" to help in the treatment of
Brain tumors"