Yoly Pina, MD

Cancer Focus:
Brain Cancer, Glioblastoma, Meningioma, Neurofibromatosis

Dr. Pina is a board-certified Neuro-Oncologist and Neurologist. She received her M.D., one-year Internal Medicine residency training, and three-year Neurology residency training from the University of South Florida (USF). She then completed her Fellowship training in Neuro-Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center. She is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor and Researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center and non-tenured Professor at USF. She is also the Director of the Leptomeningeal Disease (LMD) Program at Moffitt since 2021, Co-Chair of Education in the Neuro-Oncology Department at Moffitt since 2021, Co-Chair of the LMD-Research Interest Group (LMD-RIG) at Moffitt since 2023, and Co-Chair of DRIVEN (Diversity, Respect, Inclusion, Value, Equity in Neuro-Oncology) at Moffitt since 2022. Dr. Pina specializes in the management of primary brain tumors with a focus on gliomas, as well as brain metastases and leptomeningeal disease (LMD), and is involved in the recruitment of patients into available clinical trials. Dr. Pina's clinical and research interests are in leptomeningeal disease, a devastating complication from lung, breast, melanoma, GI, primary brain tumors, and many other solid cancers, and her drive is to find cures for this disease while maintaining good quality of life. She works closely with several scientists at Moffitt and collaborators both nationally and internationally to find cures and improve management in leptomeningeal disease. She has had several grants, most recently from the Melanoma Research Alliance to develop Immunocellular Therapy with Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) or Tumor Reactive T cells as a potential treatment for patients with leptomeningeal disease (LMD) from melanoma. Dr. Piña has over 50 peer-reviewed publications in cancer and has written Investigator Initiated Trials (IIT) including using immune-check point inhibitors in the treatment of brain metastases from melanoma. Her research goal is to develop Immunocellular Therapies in LMD from any primary solid cancer to improve survival and find cures while focusing on quality of life. 

 

Education & Training

Board Certification:

• Neurology - Neuro-Oncology

Fellowship:

• Moffitt Cancer Center - NeuroOncology

Residency:

• University of South Florida - Neurology

Medical School:

• USF Morsani College of Medicine - MD

• Jacome MA, Macaulay RJ, Peguero E, Cyriac S, Sahebjam S, Etame AB, Yu HM, Piña Y. Successful response in advanced leptomeningeal disease from pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma with BRAF/MEK inhibitors: a case report. Front Oncol. 2025 Nov.15:1669942. Pubmedid: 41357590. Pmcid: PMC12678154.
• Jacome MA, Wu Q, Chen J, Mohamed ZS, Mokhtari S, Piña Y, Etame AB. Molecular Underpinnings of Brain Metastases. Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Mar.26(5). Pubmedid: 40076927. Pmcid: PMC11900073.
• Piña Y, Law V, Sahebjam S, Tran N, Siddarajappa N, Li J, Mo Q, Phadke MS, Arrington J, Macaulay R, Mokhtari S, Evernden B, Ahmed KA, Smalley I, Yu M, Smalley KSM, Forsyth PA. Phase IB Study of Avelumab and Whole Brain Radiotherapy (WBRT) in Patients with Leptomeningeal Disease (LMD) from Solid Tumors: Results and Molecular Analyses. Neurooncol. 2025 Aug. Pubmedid: 40888040.
• Mokhtari S, Asquith JM, Kareem SS, Bachmeier CA, Pina Y, Faramand RG, Kim Y, Peguero EN, Sahebjam S, Jaffer MH, Iacono DP, Jain MD, Vogelbaum MA, Davila ML, Forsyth PA, Locke FL, Lazaryan A. Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) for Patients with Severe Neurotoxicity Associated with Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) Therapy. Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Apr.26(8). Pubmedid: 40332772. Pmcid: PMC12028060.
• Jacome MA, Wu Q, Piña Y, Etame AB. Evolution of Molecular Biomarkers and Precision Molecular Therapeutic Strategies in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel). 2024 Oct.16(21). Pubmedid: 39518074. Pmcid: PMC11544870.
• Wallace G, Kundalia R, Vallebuona E, Cao B, Kim Y, Forsyth P, Soyano A, Smalley I, Pina Y. Factors associated with overall survival in breast cancer patients with leptomeningeal disease (LMD): a single institutional retrospective review. Breast Cancer Res. 2024 Mar.26(1):55. Pubmedid: 38553702. Pmcid: PMC10979566.
• Alhaddad H, Ospina OE, Khaled ML, Ren Y, Vallebuona E, Boozo MB, Forsyth PA, Pina Y, Macaulay R, Law V, Tsai KY, Cress WD, Fridley B, Smalley I. Spatial transcriptomics analysis identifies a tumor-promoting function of the meningeal stroma in melanoma leptomeningeal disease. Cell Rep Med. 2024 Jun.5(6):101606. Pubmedid: 38866016. Pmcid: PMC11228800.
• Mills MN, Uno A, Li P, Liveringhouse C, Kim Y, Oliver DE, Perez BA, Creelan BC, Yu M, Forsyth PA, Pina Y, Ahmed KA. Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Leptomeningeal Disease Following Receipt of EGFR-Targeted Therapy, Immune-Checkpoint Blockade, Intrathecal Chemotherapy, or Radiation Therapy Alone. Clin Lung Cancer. 2024 Jul.25(5):417-423.e1. Pubmedid: 38719648.
• Ahmed KA, Kumthekar PU, Pina Y, Kim Y, Vogelbaum MA, Han HS, Forsyth PA. Radiation Therapy Followed by Intrathecal Trastuzumab-Pertuzumab for ERBB2-Positive Breast Leptomeningeal Disease: A Phase 1 Nonrandomized Controlled Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2024 Jul.10(7):984-986. Pubmedid: 38780965. Pmcid: PMC11117144.
• Khaled ML, Tarhini AA, Forsyth PA, Smalley I, Piña Y. Leptomeningeal Disease (LMD) in Patients with Melanoma Metastases. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Mar.15(6). Pubmedid: 36980770. Pmcid: PMC10047692.
• Kundalia R, Hanini A, Kareem SS, Gonzalez R, Gatewood T, Mishra A, Pina Y, Mokhtari S. Successful management of central nervous system manifestations of chronic graft-vs-host disease: a case report. Leuk Lymphoma. 2023 Jul.64(8):1485-1489. Pubmedid: 37322898.
• Alhaddad H, Ospina OE, Khaled ML, Ren Y, Forsyth P, Pina Y, Macaulay R, Law V, Tsai KY, Cress WD, Fridley B, Smalley I. Spatial transcriptomics analysis identifies a unique tumor-promoting function of the meningeal stroma in melanoma leptomeningeal disease. bioRxiv. 2023 Dec. Pubmedid: 38187574. Pmcid: PMC10769278.
• Bricoune O, Kareem SS, Wallace G, Iacono DP, Macaulay R, Etame A, Pina Y, Robinson TJ, Mokhtari S. Epstein‑Barr virus‑associated primary central nervous system lymphoma in an immunosuppressed patient with a comorbid autoimmune disorder: A case report. Exp Ther Med. 2023 Aug.26(2):410. Pubmedid: 37522053. Pmcid: PMC10375448.
• Kareem SS, Viswanathan N, Sahebjam S, Tran ND, Gatewood T, Tobon K, Baz R, Piña Y, Shain KH, Mokhtari S. Leukoencephalopathy During Daratumumab-Based Therapy: A Case Series of Two Patients with Multiple Myeloma. Onco Targets Ther. 2022 Sep.15:953-962. Pubmedid: 36097632. Pmcid: PMC9464026.
• Law V, Chen Z, Vena F, Smalley I, Macaulay R, Evernden BR, Tran N, Pina Y, Puskas J, Caceres G, Bayle S, Johnson J, Liu JKC, Etame A, Vogelbaum M, Rodriguez P, Duckett D, Czerniecki B, Chen A, Smalley KSM, Forsyth PA. A preclinical model of patient-derived cerebrospinal fluid circulating tumor cells for experimental therapeutics in leptomeningeal disease from melanoma. Neurooncol. 2022 Oct.24(10):1673-1686. Pubmedid: 35213727. Pmcid: PMC9527526.
• Liu JKC, Kang R, Bilenkin A, Prorok R, Whiting J, Patel KB, Beer-Furlan A, Naso C, Rogers A, Castro XB, Peguero E, Mokhtari S, Tran N, Etame A, Pina Y, Spiess PE, Forsyth P, Vogelbaum MA. Patient satisfaction and cost savings analysis of the telemedicine program within a neuro-oncology department. J Neurooncol. 2022 Nov.160(2):517-525. Pubmedid: 36367630. Pmcid: PMC9651094.
• Piña Y, Yadugiri S, Yeboa DN, Ferguson SD, Forsyth PA, Oliva ICG. Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment for Leptomeningeal Disease in Melanoma. Curr Oncol Rep. 2022 Jan.24(1):43-54. Pubmedid: 35059999.
• Piña Y, Gramatzki D, Forsyth P, Lee EQ, Le Rhun E. Leptomeningeal Disease. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2022 Feb.36(1):189-215. Pubmedid: 34756800.
• Lowe SR, Wang CP, Brisco A, Whiting J, Arrington J, Ahmed K, Yu M, Robinson T, Oliver D, Etame A, Tran N, Beer Furlan A, Sahebjam S, Mokhtari S, Piña Y, Macaulay R, Forsyth P, Vogelbaum MA, Liu JKC. Surgical and anatomic factors predict development of leptomeningeal disease in patients with melanoma brain metastases. Neurooncol. 2022 Aug.24(8):1307-1317. Pubmedid: 35092434. Pmcid: PMC9340645.
• Alvarez-Breckenridge C, Remon J, Piña Y, Nieblas-Bedolla E, Forsyth P, Hendriks L, Brastianos PK. Emerging Systemic Treatment Perspectives on Brain Metastases: Moving Toward a Better Outlook for Patients. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2022 Apr.42:1-19. Pubmedid: 35522917.
• Mills MN, King W, Soyano A, Pina Y, Czerniecki BJ, Forsyth PA, Soliman H, Han HS, Ahmed KA. Evolving management of HER2+ breast cancer brain metastases and leptomeningeal disease. J Neurooncol. 2022 Apr.157(2):249-269. Pubmedid: 35244835.
• Zemina K, Piña Y, Malafronte P, Suresh N, Hurst R. Spongiform leukoencephalopathy: A unique case of biopsy confirmed leukoencephalopathy secondary to toxic, non-inflammatory exposure. SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2021 Sep.9. Pubmedid: 34484793. Pmcid: PMC8414607.
• Verma N, Jaffer M, Pina Y, Peguero E, Mokhtari S. Rituximab for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Myasthenia Gravis. Cureus. 2021 Jul.13(7):e16337. Pubmedid: 34395120. Pmcid: PMC8357079.
• Fusco MJ, Piña Y, Macaulay RJ, Sahebjam S, Forsyth PA, Peguero E, Walko CM. Durable Progression-Free Survival With the Use of BRAF and MEK Inhibitors in Four Cases With BRAF V600E-Mutated Gliomas. Cancer Control. 2021 Jan.28. Pubmedid: 34620004. Pmcid: PMC8506147.
• Piña Y, Evernden BR, Khushalani N, Margolin K, Tawbi H, Tran ND, Macaulay R, Forsyth P, Peguero E. Acute motor axonal neuropathy after ipilimumab and nivolumab treatment in melanoma brain metastases: A case report and review of the literature. SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2021 Aug.9. Pubmedid: 34457306. Pmcid: PMC8392782.
• Wilkes JG, Patel A, McClure E, Pina Y, Zager JS. Developments in therapy for brain metastases in melanoma patients. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2021 Aug.22(11):1443-1453. Pubmedid: 33688795.
• Piña Y, Fusco MJ, Macaulay RJ, Walko CM, Peguero E, Evernden BR, Smalley KS, Forsyth P. Using personalized medicine in gliomas: a genomic approach to diagnosis and overcoming treatment resistance in a case with pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. J Neurol. 2020 Mar.267(3):783-790. Pubmedid: 31748891. Pmcid: PMC7035305.
• Piña Y, Houston SK, Murray TG, Koru-Sengul T, Decatur C, Scott WK, Nathanson L, Clarke J, Lampidis TJ. Retinoblastoma treatment: impact of the glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxy-d-glucose on molecular genomics expression in LH(BETA)T(AG) retinal tumors. Clin Ophthalmol. 2012 May.6:817-830. Pubmedid: 22701083. Pmcid: PMC3373226.
• Piña Y, Decatur C, Murray TG, Houston SK, Lopez-Cavalcante M, Hernandez E, Celdran M, Shah N, Feuer W, Lampidis T. Retinoblastoma treatment: utilization of the glycolytic inhibitor, 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (2-FG), to target the chemoresistant hypoxic regions in LH(BETA)T(AG) retinal tumors. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2012 Feb.53(2):996-1002. Pubmedid: 22266512. Pmcid: PMC3317436.
• Piña Y, Decatur C, Murray T, Houston S, Gologorsky D, Cavalcante M, Cavalcante L, Hernandez E, Celdran M, Feuer W, Lampidis T. Advanced retinoblastoma treatment: targeting hypoxia by inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in LH(BETA)T(AG) retinal tumors. Clin Ophthalmol. 2011 Mar.5:337-343. Pubmedid: 21468343. Pmcid: PMC3065577.
• Houston SK, Pina Y, Clarke J, Koru-Sengul T, Scott WK, Nathanson L, Schefler AC, Murray TG. Regional and temporal differences in gene expression of LH(BETA)T(AG) retinoblastoma tumors. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2011 Jul.52(8):5359-5368. Pubmedid: 21571674. Pmcid: PMC3176059.
• Houston SK, Piña Y, Murray TG, Boutrid H, Cebulla C, Schefler AC, Shi W, Celdran M, Feuer W, Merchan J, Lampidis TJ. Novel retinoblastoma treatment avoids chemotherapy: the effect of optimally timed combination therapy with angiogenic and glycolytic inhibitors on LH(BETA)T(AG) retinoblastoma tumors. Clin Ophthalmol. 2011 Jan.5:129-137. Pubmedid: 21339806. Pmcid: PMC3037041.
• Boutrid H, Wolfe SQ, Murray TG, Pina Y, Moftakhar R, Fernandes CE, Reichbach J, Aziz-Sultan MA. Bilateral orbital vasculature alterations after systemic chemotherapy and external beam radiation therapy treatment of advanced retinoblastoma: implications for intraarterial chemotherapy management. Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2011 Apr.5(2):124-127. Pubmedid: 25389879.
• Piña Y, Boutrid H, Murray TG, Wolfe SQ, Schefler AC, Houston SK, Moftakhar R, Fernandes CE, Reichbach J, Aziz HA, Markoe AM, Aziz-Sultan MA. Ophthalmic vasculature alterations following systemic chemotherapy and periocular Carboplatin treatment of advanced retinoblastoma. J Pediat Ophth Strab. 2010 Sep.47 Online:e1-e5. Pubmedid: 20886809.
• Merchan JR, Kovács K, Railsback JW, Kurtoglu M, Jing Y, Piña Y, Gao N, Murray TG, Lehrman MA, Lampidis TJ. Antiangiogenic activity of 2-deoxy-D-glucose. PLoS One. 2010 Oct.5(10):e13699. Pubmedid: 21060881. Pmcid: PMC2965179.
• Piña Y, Boutrid H, Murray TG, Jager MJ, Cebulla CM, Schefler A, Ly LV, Alegret A, Celdran M, Feuer W, Jockovich ME. Impact of tumor-associated macrophages in LH(BETA)T(AG) mice on retinal tumor progression: relation to macrophage subtype. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2010 May.51(5):2671-2677. Pubmedid: 20053982. Pmcid: PMC2868494.
• Cavalcante LL, Cavalcante ML, Murray TG, Vigoda MM, Piña Y, Decatur CL, Davis RP, Olmos LC, Schefler AC, Parrott MB, Alliman KJ, Flynn HW, Moshfeghi AA. Intravitreal injection analysis at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute: evaluation of clinical indications for the treatment and incidence rates of endophthalmitis. Clin Ophthalmol. 2010 May.4:519-524. Pubmedid: 20535228. Pmcid: PMC2879353.
• Bajenaru ML, Piña Y, Murray TG, Cebulla CM, Feuer W, Jockovich ME, Marin Castaño ME. Gelatinase expression in retinoblastoma: modulation of LH(BETA)T(AG) retinal tumor development by anecortave acetate. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2010 Jun.51(6):2860-2864. Pubmedid: 20107171. Pmcid: PMC2891454.
• Piña Y, Houston SK, Murray TG, Boutrid H, Celdran M, Feuer W, Shi W, Hernandez E, Lampidis TJ. Focal, periocular delivery of 2-deoxy-D-glucose as adjuvant to chemotherapy for treatment of advanced retinoblastoma. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2010 Dec.51(12):6149-6156. Pubmedid: 20702830. Pmcid: PMC3055749.
• Gologorsky D, Schefler AC, Ehlies FJ, Raskauskas PA, Pina Y, Williams BK, Murray TG. Clinical imaging and high-resolution ultrasonography in melanocytoma management. Clin Ophthalmol. 2010 Aug.4:855-859. Pubmedid: 20714362. Pmcid: PMC2921292.
• Aziz HA, Boutrid H, Murray TG, Berrocal A, Wolfe SQ, Pina Y, Dorfman M, Moftakhar R, Fernandes CE, Reichbach J, Aziz-Sultan MA. Supraselective injection of intraarterial melphalan as the primary treatment for late presentation unilateral multifocal stage Vb retinoblastoma. Retina. 2010 Apr.30(4 Suppl):S63-S65. Pubmedid: 20224464.
• Piña Y, Boutrid H, Schefler A, Dubovy S, Feuer W, Jockovich ME, Murray TG. Blood vessel maturation in retinoblastoma tumors: spatial distribution of neovessels and mature vessels and its impact on ocular treatment. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2009 Mar.50(3):1020-1024. Pubmedid: 18952925.
• Boutrid H, Piña Y, Cebulla CM, Feuer WJ, Lampidis TJ, Jockovich ME, Murray TG. Increased hypoxia following vessel targeting in a murine model of retinoblastoma. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2009 Dec.50(12):5537-5543. Pubmedid: 19578014.
• Piña Y, Cebulla CM, Murray TG, Alegret A, Dubovy SR, Boutrid H, Feuer W, Mutapcic L, Jockovich ME. Blood vessel maturation in human uveal melanoma: spatial distribution of neovessels and mature vasculature. Ophthalmic Res. 2009 Apr.41(3):160-169. Pubmedid: 19321938. Pmcid: PMC3713740.
• Jockovich ME, Piña Y, Alegret A, Cebulla C, Feuer W, Murray TG. Heterogeneous tumor vasculature in retinoblastoma: implications for vessel targeting therapy. Retina. 2008 Mar.28(3 Suppl):S81-S86. Pubmedid: 18317352.
• Boutrid H, Jockovich ME, Murray TG, Piña Y, Feuer WJ, Lampidis TJ, Cebulla CM. Targeting hypoxia, a novel treatment for advanced retinoblastoma. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2008 Jul.49(7):2799-2805. Pubmedid: 18326690.
• Cebulla CM, Jockovich ME, Piña Y, Boutrid H, Alegret A, Kulak A, Hackam AS, Bhattacharya SK, Feuer WJ, Murray TG. Basic fibroblast growth factor impact on retinoblastoma progression and survival. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2008 Dec.49(12):5215-5221. Pubmedid: 18614803. Pmcid: PMC4139118.
• Cebulla CM, Jockovich ME, Boutrid H, Piña Y, Ruggeri M, Jiao S, Bhattacharya SK, Feuer WJ, Murray TG. Lack of effect of SU1498, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, in a transgenic murine model of retinoblastoma. Open Ophthalmol J. 2008 Apr.2:62-67. Pubmedid: 19517030. Pmcid: PMC2694596.
• Jockovich ME, Bajenaru ML, Piña Y, Suarez F, Feuer W, Fini ME, Murray TG. Retinoblastoma tumor vessel maturation impacts efficacy of vessel targeting in the LH(BETA)T(AG) mouse model. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2007 Jun.48(6):2476-2482. Pubmedid: 17525173.
• Jockovich ME, Suarez F, Alegret A, Piña Y, Hayden B, Cebulla C, Feuer W, Murray TG. Mechanism of retinoblastoma tumor cell death after focal chemotherapy, radiation, and vascular targeting therapy in a mouse model. Invest Ophth Vis Sci. 2007 Dec.48(12):5371-5376. Pubmedid: 18055783.
• Espinosa-Heidmann DG, Reinoso MA, Pina Y, Csaky KG, Caicedo A, Cousins SW. Quantitative enumeration of vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells derived from bone marrow precursors in experimental choroidal neovascularization. Exp Eye Res. 2005 Mar.80(3):369-378. Pubmedid: 15721619.
• Caicedo A, Espinosa-Heidmann DG, Hamasaki D, Piña Y, Cousins SW. Photoreceptor synapses degenerate early in experimental choroidal neovascularization. J Comp Neurol. 2005 Mar.483(3):263-277. Pubmedid: 15682400.
• Caicedo A, Espinosa-Heidmann DG, Piña Y, Hernandez EP, Cousins SW. Blood-derived macrophages infiltrate the retina and activate Muller glial cells under experimental choroidal neovascularization. Exp Eye Res. 2005 Jul.81(1):38-47. Pubmedid: 15978253.

• Title: Tumor-Reactive T Cells To Treat Melanoma Leptomeningeal Disease
  Award Number: #1043052
  Sponsor: Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA)
  Pina, Y. (PD/PI)