Title(s)
- Program Lead, Neuro-Oncology Telemedicine Program, UPMC
- Program Director, Karp Neuro-Oncology Fellowship, UPMC
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Mantica is an assistant professor of Neurology and Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. She specializes in the treatment of adult high grade gliomas, central nervous system lymphoma, and neurological complications of cancer treatment. Her translational research interests include early phase clinical trial development using novel immunotherapeutic targets and immuno-diagnostic imaging for malignant brain tumors. She is the Director of the Karp Neuro-Oncology Fellowship Program, the Site Director for the Medical Student Neuro-Oncology Outpatient Rotation, and the Program Lead of the UPMC Neuro-Oncology Telemedicine Program. Dr. Mantica also serves as an active member of the Brain Tumor Disease Program, Cancer Therapeutics Program, Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, Cancer Biology Program, and the Hillman Immunotherapy and Drug Development Center. She is actively involved in student, resident, and fellow education.
Education & Training
- MS, University of Pittsburgh Institute for Clinical Research Education, Master of Science in Clinical Research
- Fellow, University of Pittsburgh, NeuroNEXT Clinical Research Fellowship
- Fellow, University of Pittsburgh, Neuro-Oncology
- Resident, University of Pittsburgh, Neurology
- Resident, University of Pittsburgh, Preliminary Internal Medicine
- MD, State University of New York Upstate Medical University - Syracuse, NY
Specialized Areas of Clinical, Research and/or Educational Interests
- Research: Novel Therapies for Brain and Spine Tumors
- Education: Clinical and Translational Research Training
Board Certifications
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
- United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, Neuro-Oncology
Professional Organization Membership
- Society for Neuro-Oncology
- American Academy of Neurology
- American Neurological Association
- NCI Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (ETCTN)
Honors & Awards
- Pittsburgh Magazine “Best Doctors”
- Castle Connolly, Top Doctor
Selected Recent Publications
Mantica M, Drappatz J. Immunotherapy associated central nervous system complications in primary brain tumors. Front Oncol. 2023 Feb 16;13:1124198. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1124198. PMID: 36874119; PMCID: PMC9981156.
Wen PY, Manzanera A, Duault C, Gonzalez-Kozlova E, Lopez L, Grossman SA, Ye X, Fisher J, Lee I, Walbert T, Snyder J, Brem S, Desai A, Bagley SJ, Kakani C, Strowd R, Tatter S, Laxton A, Lesser G, Amankulor N, Lieberman F, Drappatz J, Mantica M, Triggs D, Haymaker C, Wistuba II, Al-Atrash G, Mendoza Perez J, Futreal A, Little LD, Islam MDH, Duose D, Jiang P, Reuben A, Lawler SE, Pichavant M, Gentles A, Bendall S, Kong A, Camacho C, Del Valle D, Kim-Schulze S, Gnjatic S, Sharon E, Nowicki MO, Peruzzi P, Lane D, Aguilar-Cordova E, Aguilar LK, Nichols G, Dwyer J, Tak PP, Maecker H, Barone F, Chiocca EA. A multi-institutional phase 1 clinical trial exploring upfront multimodal standard of care and combined immunotherapies for newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Neuro Oncol. 2025 Mar 22:noaf079. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noaf079. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40120123.
Agrawal N, Gersey ZC, Abou-Al-Shaar H, Gardner PA, Mantica M, Agnihotri S, Mahmud H, Fazeli PK, Zenonos GA. Major Genetic Motifs in Pituitary Adenomas: A Practical Literature Update. World Neurosurg. 2023 Jan;169:43-50. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.09.036. Epub 2022 Sep 14. PMID: 36115566; PMCID: PMC11195535.
Mantica M, Drappatz J, Lieberman F, Hadjipanayis CG, Lunsford LD, Niranjan A. Phase II study of border zone stereotactic radiosurgery with bevacizumab in patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme. J Neurooncol. 2023 Aug;164(1):179-190. doi: 10.1007/s11060-023-04398-0. Epub 2023 Jul 29. PMID: 37515669.
Mantica M, Pritchard A, Lieberman F, Drappatz J. Retrospective study of nivolumab for patients with recurrent high grade gliomas. J Neurooncol. 2018 Sep;139(3):625-631. doi: 10.1007/s11060-018-2907-4. Epub 2018 May 19. PMID: 29779086.
Sudhakar V, Gersey Z, Polster SP, Mantica M, Zenonos G. Supratentorial lymphocytic inflammation with parenchymal perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids: A case report and literature review. Surg Neurol Int. 2021 Jul 6;12:327. doi: 10.25259/SNI_355_2021. PMID: 34345468; PMCID: PMC8326066.
Gecici NN, Habib A, Mallela AN, Rich JN, Drappatz J, Mantica M, Abdullah KG, Zinn PO. Ventricular Entry During Glioblastoma Resection is Associated With Reduced Survival and Increased Risk of Distant Recurrence. Neurosurgery. 2025 Apr 3. doi: 10.1227/neu.0000000000003431. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40178259.
