Education
- Prof. Pessina obtained his Degree in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Insubria, Varese, where he also completed his Residency Programme
Academic Appointment
- 2022: Full Professor in Neurosurgery (MED/27) at Humanitas University
- 2018: Skull Base Fellow at Lariboisiere Hospital, Paris, fully dedicated to skull base surgery and hands-on dissection practice and teaching
- 2007 – 2008: he covered the role of Clinical Fellow in Neurosurgery at Lausanne University Hospital, focusing on image-guided intrinsic brain tumour resection and vascular neurosurgery
Translational research about brain tumors
- Identification of molecular mechanisms of low grade glioma genesis and progression (transcriptomic, exom, and proteomics analysis)
- Identification of molecular mechanisms of glioma resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs and biological agents (anti angiogenics)
- Role of glioma precursors in MRI Flair area
Clinical research on brain tumors
Clinical trials on Immunotherapy (collaboration with Clinical Oncology): trials with the use of checkpoint inhibitors and dendritic cells vaccination
Trials integrated with radiotherapy
- Hypofractionated trail on high grade gliomas
- Combined surgery and on bed radiotherapy/radiosurgery for cerebral metastases
- Pre operative RT in brain metastases
- Computational modeling to identify the optimal rate of resection in relationship with the rate of response
The clinical activity has been mainly focused in neuro-oncology and skull base surgery.
Three major fields have been pursued
- Image guided surgery
- Brain mapping techniques in intrinsic brain lesions
- Open skull base surgery and integration with imaging
Author of more than 60 scientific publications and 5 book chapters, he is member of Italian Society of Neurosurgery (SINCH).
In 2018 he joined the Scientific Committee of European Society of Neuroncology (EANO) and the Skull Base Surgery Committee of World Federation of Neurosurgical Society (WFNS).
- Intracranial Meningiomas: A Systematic Analysis of Prognostic Factors for Recurrence in a Large Single Institution Surgical Series. Pessina F, Navarria P, Clerici E, Soffietti R, Nibali MC, Rudà R, Riva M, Scorsetti M, Bello L. World Neurosurg. 2019 Mar;123:e273-e279.
- Outcome evaluation of patients with newly diagnosed anaplastic gliomas treated in a single institution. Pessina F, Navarria P, Cozzi L, Tomatis S, Clerici E, Ascolese AM, Simonelli M, Perrino M, Riva M, Rossi M, Rudà R, Santoro A, Bello L, Scorsetti M. CNS Oncol. 2017 Jul 18.
- Maximize surgical resection beyond contrast-enhancing boundaries in newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme: is it useful and safe? A single institution retrospective experience. Pessina F, Navarria P, Cozzi L, Ascolese AM, Simonelli M, Santoro A, Clerici E, Rossi M, Scorsetti M, Bello L. J Neurooncol. 2017 Oct;135(1):129-139.
- Outcome Evaluation of Oligometastatic Patients Treated with Surgical Resection Followed by Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiosurgery (HSRS) on the Tumor Bed, for Single, Large Brain Metastases. Pessina F, Navarria P, Cozzi L, Ascolese AM, Maggi G, Riva M, Masci G, D’Agostino G, Finocchiaro G, Santoro A, Bello L, Scorsetti M. PLoS One. 2016 Jun 27;11(6):e0157869.
- Value of Surgical Resection in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Grade III Glioma Treated in a Multimodal Approach: Surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy. Pessina F, Navarria P, Cozzi L, Ascolese AM, Simonelli M, Santoro A, Tomatis S, Riva M, Fava E, Scorsetti M, Bello L. Ann Surg Oncol. 2016 Sep;23(9):3040-6. doi: 10.1245/s10434-016-5222-3. Epub 2016 Apr 12.