RADIOTHERAPIC ONCOLOGIST

Dra.Morena Sallabanda

  • CV and Professional Career
  • Innovation at IRCA and the ZAP-x Technology in which Dr. Morena is Involved
  • Academic Training
  • Work Experience
  • Academic Achievements Included in Dr. Morena Sallabanda’s CV

CV and Professional Career

CV of Dr. Morena Sallabanda Hajro, MD, PhD, MSc

Dr. Morena Sallabanda is a Radiation Oncologist at IRCA and also works at the Quirón Salud Proton Therapy Center.

She studied Medicine and Surgery in Madrid at the Complutense University of Madrid and at the Gregorio Marañón University General Hospital, earning her PhD in 2021 after five years of research.

During this time, she also completed a Master’s degree in Radiosurgery, later contributing her experience as a Lecturer in the program.

Her experience as a Radiation Oncology Specialist is extensive, having held this position at Genesis Care in prominent hospitals such as La Milagrosa Hospital in Madrid and at the Cyberknife Unit in Madrid.

She completed her Radiation Oncology residency at the Puerta de Hierro University Hospital in Majadahonda.

Her international career includes:

  • Proton therapy at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, USA.
  • Radiation Oncology rotation at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.

Dr. Morena speaks five languages: English, Italian, French, and as native languages, Spanish and Albanian.

Innovation at IRCA and the ZAP-x Technology in which Dr. Morena is Involved

As we have highlighted on several occasions, the ZAP-x technology used at IRCA is cutting-edge and environmentally friendly.

If you want more information about this innovation, click on this link.

However, this was not always the case in radiosurgery in the past.

That is why, among her many areas of expertise in this field, Dr. Morena obtained her certification as Supervisor of Radioactive Facilities in 2016. As we have said, this is not required at IRCA.

Academic Training

PhD in Medicine at Complutense University of Madrid

Dr. Morena Sallabanda earned her PhD in January 2021 with the highest distinction, **SOBRESALIENTE CUM LAUDE**.

Her PhD thesis focused on **Oligometastatic Survivors: Socio-Healthcare Dependence After Intensive Cranial Radiotherapy**.
Her thesis directors were Felipe Calvo Manuel and María Isabel García Berrocal.

  • International Master’s in Radiosurgery of the Central Nervous System – June 2019 at the Complutense University of Madrid.
    Internships at the Gammaknife Unit (Ruber International Hospital) and Cyberknife Unit (Genesis Care, Madrid).
    Part of the faculty of the master’s program in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 editions.
  • Degree + Master’s in Medicine at the Complutense University of Madrid 2007-2013
    2012: 5-week external rotation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Department of Radiation Oncology.
    2011-2013: Collaborator at the Oncology Department (Radiation Oncology Service) at Gregorio Marañón University Hospital.

Work Experience

  • Currently, Dr. Morena is a Radiation Oncology Specialist at the Advanced Radiosurgery Institute (IRCA).
  • She also currently holds the same position at the Quirónsalud Proton Therapy Center.
  • Radiation Oncology Specialist – June 2019 to September 2021 at Genesis Care Cyberknife Unit, Madrid.
    Unit Coordinator since October 2019.
  • Radiation Oncology Specialist – June 2018 to May 2019 at Genesis Care Tomotherapy Unit, La Milagrosa Hospital, Madrid; Genesis Care Toledo – Guadalajara.
  • Radiation Oncology Resident Physician – May 2014 to May 2018 at Puerta de Hierro University Hospital, Majadahonda.
  • External rotation at University Hospital of Philadelphia: PENN MEDICINE, September – October 2017.
    Proton Therapy Center (IBA Protontherapy), Gammaknife, and Cyberknife.
  • External rotation in Brachytherapy at San Carlos Clinical Hospital, April – June 2017.
    High-dose brachytherapy for prostate, gynecological, and breast tumors.

Professional Skills

– Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT).
– Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT), Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy, and Radiosurgery in CNS using Novalis (BrainLab), Cyberknife, Gammaknife, Tomotherapy, ZAP-X, and Proton Therapy units.
– Proton Therapy.
– Intraoperative Radiotherapy (IORT).
– High-dose Brachytherapy.
– Total Skin Irradiation (TSI).
– Total Body Irradiation (TBI).
– Conformal External Radiotherapy (3DCRT).

Academic Achievements Included in Dr. Morena Sallabanda’s CV

BOOK CHAPTER COLLABORATIONS

  • Sallabanda K, Sallabanda M, Gerszten P. Intradural spinal lesions (2020). In Conti A, Romanelli P, Pantelis E, et al. CyberKnife NeuroRadiosurgery. A Practical Guide (1st ed., pp. 473-483). Springer Nature Switzerland.
  • Sallabanda K, Sallabanda M, García R, Calvo FA. Radiosurgery in Brain Metastases (2019). In Sallabanda K, Radiosurgery: Fundamentals, Technological Advances, Indications, and Results (2nd ed., pp. 317-336). Madrid: Arán.
  • Yañez ML, Mehta M, Sallabanda M, Sallabanda K. Radiosurgery as a Rescue Treatment for High-Grade Brain Gliomas (2019). In Sallabanda K, Radiosurgery: Fundamentals, Technological Advances, Indications, and Results (2nd ed., pp. 337-350). Madrid: Arán.

PUBLICATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS

Below is a list of publications by Dr. Morena Sallabanda:

  • Lovo EE, Moreira A, Barahona KC, Ramirez J, Campos F, Tobar C, Caceros V, Sallabanda M, Sallabanda K. Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Retrospective Multi-Institutional Experience. Cureus. 2021 Oct 4;13(10):e18480. doi: 10.7759/cureus.18480.
  • Sallabanda M, Garcia R, Lorenzana L, Santaolalla I, Abarca J, Sallabanda K. Treatment of Chordomas and Chondrosarcomas with CyberKnife Robotic Hypofractionated Radiosurgery: A Single Institution Experience. Cureus. 2021 Aug 8;13(8):e17012. doi: 10.7759/cureus.17012.
  • Sallabanda K, Sallabanda M, Barrientos HD, Santaolalla I, Garcia R. Trigeminal Trophic Syndrome Secondary to Refractory Trigeminal Neuralgia Treated with CyberKnife® Radiosurgery. Cureus. 2020;12(4):e7670. doi: 10.7759/cureus.7670.
  • Sallabanda M, García-Berrocal MI, Romero J, García-Jarabo V, Expósito MJ, Rincón DF, Zapata I, Magallón MR. Brain Metastases Treated with Radiosurgery or Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy: Outcomes and Predictors of Survival. Clin Transl Oncol. 2020 Mar 2. doi: 10.1007/s12094-020-02321-x.
  • Sallabanda K, Yañez L, Sallabanda M, Santos M, Calvo FA, Marsiglia H. Stereotactic Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Recurrent High-Grade Gliomas: Long-term Follow-up. Cureus. 2019 Dec 31;11(12): e6527. doi: 10.7759/cureus.6527.
  • García R, Sallabanda K, Santa-Olalla I, Lopez JL, Aviles L, Sallabanda M, Rivin E, Samblas J. Robotic Radiosurgery for Treatment of Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastases: A Case Report and Literature Review. Cureus 2016;8(5):e609. doi: 10.7759/cureus.609.
  • Krengli M, Calvo FA, Sedlmayer F, Sole CV, Fastner G, Alessandro M, Maluta S, Corvo R, Sprek E, Litoborski M, Pisani C, Fusconi F, Osti MF, Tomio L, Marsiglia H, Ciabattoni A, Polkowski W, Di Grazia A, Kuten A, Iotti C, Gonzalez C, Sallabanda M, Dubois JB, Catalano G, Valentini V. Clinical and Technical Characteristics of Intraoperative Radiotherapy: Analysis of the ISIORT-Europe Database. Strahlenther Onkol. 2013;189(9):729-37. doi: 10.1007/s00066-013-0395-1.
  • Calvo FA, Alonso-Murillo L, Sallabanda M, Villanueva-Martinez J, Herranz R, Sole CV. Intraoperative Radiation Therapy: Opportunities for Clinical Practice Normalization – MEDTING, a Scientific Platform. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. 2013;19(4):253-8. doi: 10.1016/j.rpor.2013.08.009.
  • Calvo FA, Sallabanda M, Sole CV, Gonzalez-San Segundo C, Alonso-Murillo L, Villanueva-Martinez J. Intraoperative Radiation Therapy: Opportunities for Clinical Practice Normalization – Data Recording and Innovative Development. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. 2013;19(4):246-52. doi: 10.1016/j.rpor.2013.07.010.
  • Calvo FA, Alonso-Murillo L, Sallabanda M, Villanueva-Martínez J, Pascau J, Sole CV. Imaging Opportunities for Treatment Planning in Intraoperative Electron Beam Radiotherapy (IOERT): Developments in the Context of the RADIANCE System. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. 2013;19(4):239-45.

Dr. Morena Sallabanda’s CV also includes:

  • Papers presented at national and international conferences (ESTRO, SEOR, SER): 15 papers between 2015 and 2023.
  • Training course for supervisors of radioactive facilities in the field of radiotherapy, with certification. CIEMAT. May 2016.
  • Participation in more than 20 continuing education courses (2014-2020).