Physical sciences

Administrative Assistant: Margaret Chung
Phone: 416-480-6100 ext. 66128
Email: margaret.chung@sunnybrook.ca

Education:

• B.Sc., 1997, faculty of science, University of Ottawa, Canada
• MD, 2001, faculty of medicine, University of Ottawa, Canada
• Resident, 2006, department of radiation oncology, University of Toronto, Canada 
• Clinical fellow, 2007, department of radiation oncology, University of California, U.S.

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Scientist, Physical Sciences, Odette Cancer Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Staff radiation oncologist, department of radiation oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Professor, department of radiation oncology, U of T

Research Foci:

• Radiosurgery of brain and spine metastases
• Advanced imaging of brain metastases and response determination
• Spinal cord tolerance to radiation
• Vertebral compression fracture

Research Summary:

Dr. Sahgal’s research relates to his training and clinical expertise in spinal metastases, brain metastases and primary central nervous system tumours. He has expertise in the technical evaluation of radiation apparatus, and in developing and conducting clinical trials specific to brain radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiotherapy for spinal metastases.

Dr. Sahgal’s main interest is in fundamental technical research and development specific to MR-linac technology, Gamma Knife technology and the general application of stereotactic radiation. In line with high-precision radiotherapy treatments, Dr. Sahgal participates in the development of focal nonradiotherapeutic modalities for spine and brain tumours using photodynamic therapy, radiofrequency ablation and MRI-guided ultrasound.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

1. Mehrabian H, Desmond KL, Soliman H, Sahgal A, Stanisz GJ. Differentiation between radiation necrosis and tumor progression using chemical exchange saturation transfer. Clin Cancer Res. 2017 Jul 15;23(14):3667–75.
2. Sahgal A, Ruschin M, Ma L, Verbakel W, Larson D, Brown PD. Stereotactic radiosurgery alone for multiple brain metastases? A review of clinical and technical issues. Neuro Oncol. 2017 Apr 1;19(suppl 2):ii2–ii15.
3. Perry JR, Laperriere N, O’Callaghan CJ, Brandes AA, Menten J, Phillips C, Fay M, Nishikawa R, Cairncross JG, Roa W, Osoba D, Rossiter JP, Sahgal A, Hirte H, Laigle-Donadey F, Franceschi E, Chinot O, Golfinopoulos V, Fariselli L, Wick A, Feuvret L, Back M, Tills M, Winch C, Baumert BG, Wick W, Ding K, Mason WP; Trial Investigators. Short-course radiation with temozolomide in elderly glioblastoma patients. N Engl J Med. 2017 Mar 16;376(11):1027–37.
4. Thibault I, Chang EL, Sheehan J, Ahluwalia MS, Guckenberger M, Sohn MJ, Ryu S, Foote M, Lo SS, Muacevic A, Soltys SG, Chao S, Gerszten P, Lis E, Yu E, Bilsky M, Fisher C, Schiff D, Fehlings MG, Ma L, Chang S, Chow E, Parelukar WR, Vogelbaum MA, Sahgal A. Response assessment after stereotactic body radiotherapy for spinal metastasis: a report from the SPIne response assessment in Neuro-Oncology (SPINO) group. Lancet Oncol. 2015 Dec 1;16(16):e595–603.
5. Sahgal A, Aoyama H, Kocher M, Neupane B, Collette S, Tago M, Shaw P, Beyene J, Chang EL. Phase 3 trials of stereotactic radiosurgery with or without whole-brain radiation therapy for 1 to 4 brain metastases: individual patient data meta-analysis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2015 Mar 15;91(4):710–7.
6. Sahgal A, Atenafu EG, Chao S, Al-Omair A, Boehling N, Balagamwala EH, Cunha M, Thibault I, Angelov L, Brown P, Suh J, Rhines LD, Fehlings MG, Chang E. Vertebral compression fracture after spine stereotactic body radiotherapy: a multi-institutional analysis with a focus on radiation dose and the spinal instability neoplastic score. J Clin Oncol. 2013 Sep 20;31(27):3426–31.
7. Sahgal A, Weinberg V, Ma L, Chang E, Chao S, Muacevic A, Gorgulho A, Soltys S, Gerszten PC, Ryu S, Angelov L, Gibbs I, Wong CS, Larson DA. Probabilities of radiation myelopathy specific to stereotactic body radiation therapy to guide safe practice. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2013 Feb 1;85(2):341–7.
8. Sahgal A, Ma L, Weinberg V, Gibbs IC, Chao S, Chang UK, Werner-Wasik M, Angelov L, Chang EL, Sohn MJ, Soltys SG, Létourneau D, Ryu S, Gerszten PC, Fowler J, Wong CS, Larson DA. Reirradiation human spinal cord tolerance for stereotactic body radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2012 Jan 1;82(1):107–16.

Related News and Stories:

• A meeting of the minds: Event brings together experts on state-of-the-art device, advancing their shared goal of delivering personalized radiotherapy (Oct. 18, 2018)
• Seeing the bigger picture: Researchers explore use of MRI and machine learning to customize treatment of brain tumours (Oct. 15, 2018)
• Researchers target tough-to-treat brain diseases with focused ultrasound: Noninvasive imaging technique makes major gains in studies (SRI Magazine, 2018)
• A welcome disruption: Physicist breaches barricade in treatment of cancer in the spinal cord (July 17, 2018)
• Magnifying innovation: Conferences put next-generation cancer care in plain view (Nov. 22, 2016)
• A new kind of radiotherapy kills brain tumours with pinpoint precision: Researchers say it will only get better once they add MRI to the mix (SRI Magazine, 2016)
• Predicting Fracture Risk: Taking the guesswork out of radiotherapy technique (SRI Magazine, 2015)
• Stereotactic radiosurgery improves survival for younger brain metastases patients (March 4, 2015)
• Q&A: Dr. Arjun Sahgal (SRI Magazine, 2013)
• CV: Dr. Arjun Sahgal (Sep. 26, 2013)
• Lessons from Toronto's own Jackie Smith as she dies of cancer (The Toronto Star, April 22, 2012)
• New hope for patients with brain cancer (The Globe and Mail, April 9, 2012)

Related Links:

• U of T profile, department of radiation oncology
• Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada webinar presentation