Jana Portnow, M.D.

800-826-4673
Jana Portnow
Medical Oncologist
Clinical Expertise
Neuro-oncology
Brain Tumors
Research Area
Gliomas
Brain Metastases
Appointments
Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Co-Director, Brain Tumor Program
Clinical Teams
Brain Tumors
Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Neuro-oncologist Jana Portnow, M.D. (her pronouns: she/her), professor of medical oncology and co-director of City of Hope’s Brain Tumor Program, is a physician-researcher who has expertise in early-phase development of leading-edge therapies for brain tumors and has designed and conducted numerous clinical trials.
 
She has obtained millions of dollars of research funding from the National Institutes of Health, including most recently as co-principal investigator of an NIH grant through which City of Hope became part of the National Cancer Institute’s newly-formed Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, a consortium of academic brain tumor centers that collaborate on preclinical and clinical studies to find better treatments for gliomas. Dr. Portnow has reviewed grant applications as a member of the NIH Clinical Oncology Study Section. She currently serves as Vice Chair person of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s panel on Guidelines for the Treatment of CNS Cancers.
 
Her research cultivates innovations against brain cancer, such as neural stem cells that act as a homing device to deliver therapies directly to tumors in the brain, including oncolytic viruses, which are genetically engineered to attack cancer. Dr. Portnow’s slate of clinical trials includes leading first-in-human studies of neural stem cells for aggressive gliomas and directly administered into the brain CAR T cell therapy, an immune treatment being investigated for its ability to fight cancer that spreads to the brain.
 
The grace and resilience of brain cancer patients are a daily source of inspiration for Dr. Portnow. Understanding that the disease they face affects the organ that is essential to our sense of self, she is determined to do everything she can to help these patients.
 
Dr. Portnow earned her medical degree from the University of Rochester, then pursued a residency in internal medicine at Temple University, where she was chief resident, and then completed fellowships in medical oncology and neuro-oncology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute.
Location
Education & Experience
Board Certifications

  • 2012, Recertified, American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology

  • 2001, Board Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology

  • 1997, Board Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine

Degrees

  • 1994, M.D., University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY

  • 1989, B.A., Psychology, Brown University, Providence, RI

Fellowship

  • 1999-2002, Medical Oncology Fellow, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

  • 1998-1999, Neuro-Oncology Fellow, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Residency

  • 1997-1998, Chief Resident, Department of Internal Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA

  • 1994-1997, Resident, Internal Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA

Professional Experience

  • 2021-present, Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2021-present, Co-Director, Brain Tumor Program, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2012-2021, Associate Director, Brain Tumor Program, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2004-present, Member, City of Hope Patient Rights and Organizational Ethics Committee

  • 2012-2021, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

  • 2010-2012, Chair, City of Hope Data and Safety Monitoring Board

  • 2010-2012, Member, Clinical Research Governance Board

  • 2008-2010, Associate Chair, City of Hope Data & Safety Monitoring Committee

Awards & Memberships

MEMBERSHIPS

  • 2000-present, Member, Society for Neuro-Oncology
  • 1999-present, Member, American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • 1991-1992, President, Women in Medicine Taskforce, University of Rochester, American Medical Student Association
Publications
  • Horbinski, Craig; Nabors, Louis Burt; Portnow, Jana; Baehring, Joachim; Bhatia, Ankush; Bloch, Orinf;Brem, Steven; Butowski, Nicholas; Cannon, Donald M.i;Chao, Samuel; Chheda, Milan G.; Fabiano, Andrew J.; Forsyth, Peter; Gigilio, Pierre; Hattangadi-Gluth, Jona; Holdhoff, Matthias; Junck, Larry; Kaley, Thomas; Merrell, Ryan; Mrugala, Maciej M.; Nagpal, Seema; Nedzi, Lucien A.; Nevel, Kathryn; Nghiemphu, Phioanh L.; Parney, Ian; Patel, Toral R.; Peters, Katherine; Puduvalli, Vinay K.; Rockhill, Jason; Rusthoven, Chad; Shonka, Nicole; Swinnen, Lode J.; Weiss, Stephanie; Wen, Patrick Yung; Willmarth, Nicole E.; Bergman, Mary Anne; Darlow, Susan. NCCN Guidelines Insights: Central Nervous System Cancers, Version 2.2022. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network: JNCCN 2023 Jan 21(1), 12-20. 
  • Miller, Julie J.; Gonzalez Castro, L Nicolas; McBrayer, Samuel; Weller, Michael; Cloughesy, Timothy; Portnow, Jana; Andronesi, Ovidiu; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill S.; Baumert, Brigitta G.; Berger, Mitchell S.; Bi, Wenya Linda; Bindra, Ranjit; Cahill, Daniel P.; Chang, Susan M.; Costello, Joseph F.; Horbinski, Craig, Huang, Raymond Y. ;Jenkins, Robert B.; Ligon, Keith L., Mellinghoff, Ingo K.; Nabors, L Burt; Platten, Michael; Reardon, David A.; Shi, Diana D.; Schiff, David; Wick, Wolfgang; Yan, Hai; von Deimling, Andreas; van den Bent, Martin; Kaelin, William G.; Wen, Patrick Y.  Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutant gliomas: A Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) consensus review on diagnosis, management, and future directions. Neuro-oncology Jan 2023 25(1), 4-25. 
  • Liau, Linda M; Ashkan, Keyoumars; Brem, Steven; Campian, Jian L.; Trusheim, John E; Iwamoto, Fabio M; Tran, David D; Ansstas, George; Cobbs, Charles S; Heth, Jason A; Salacz, Michael E; D'Andre, Stacy; Aiken, Robert D; Moshel, Yaron A; Nam, Joo Y; Pillainayagam, Clement P; Wagner, Stephanie A; Walter, Kevin A; Chaudhary, Rekha; Goldlust, Samuel A; Lee, Ian Y; Bota, Daniela A; Elinzano, Heinrich; Grewal, Jai; Lillehei, Kevin; Mikkelsen, Tom; Walbert, Tobias; Abram, Steven; Brenner, Andrew J; Ewend, Matthew G; Khagi, Simon; Lovick, Darren S; Portnow, Jana; Kim, Lyndon; Loudon, William G; Martinez, Nina L; Thompson, Reid C; Avigan, David E; Fink, Karen L; Geoffroy, Francois J; Giglio, Pierre; Gligich, Oleg; Krex, Dietmar; Lindhorst, Scott M; Lutzky, Jose; Meisel, Hans-Jörg; Nadji-Ohl, Minou; Sanchin, Lhagva; Sloan, Andrew; Taylor, Lynne P; Wu, Julian K; Dunbar, Erin M; Etame, Arnold B; Kesari, Santosh; Mathieu, David; Piccioni, David E; Baskin, David S; Lacroix, Michel; May, Sven-Axel; New, Pamela Z.  Association of Autologous Tumor Lysate-Loaded Dendritic Cell Vaccination with Extension of Survival among Patients with Newly Diagnosed and Recurrent Glioblastoma: A Phase 3 Prospective Externally Controlled Cohort Trial. JAMA Oncology Jan 2023 9(1), 112-121. 
  • Mohile NA, Messersmith H, Gatson NT, Hottinger AF, Lassman A, Morton J, Ney D, Nghiemphu PL, Olar A, Olson J, Perry J, Portnow J, Schiff D, Shannon A, Shih HA, Strowd R, van den Bent M, Ziu M, Blakeley J. Therapy for Diffuse Astrocytic and Oligodendroglial Tumors in Adults: ASCO-SNO Guideline. Neuro-Oncology 2022 Mar 24(3):358-383. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noab279 PMID: 34898238 
  • Fares J, Ahmed AU, Ulasov IV, Sonabend AM, Miska J, Lee-Chang C, Balyasnikova IV, Chandler JP, Portnow J, Tate MC, Kumthekar P, Lukas RV, Grimm SA, Adams AK, Hébert CD, Strong TV, Amidei C, Arrieta VA, Zannikou M, Horbinski C, Zhang H, Burdett KB, Curiel DT, Sachdev S, Aboody KS, Stupp R, Lesniak MS. Neural stem cell delivery of an oncolytic adenovirus in newly diagnosed malignant glioma: a first-in-human, phase 1, dose-escalation trial. Lancet Oncol. 2021 Jun 29:S1470-2045(21)00245-X. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00245-X. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34214495. 
  • Yuan Y, Lee JS, Yost SE, Frankel PH, Ruel C, Egelston CA, Guo W, Padam S, Tang A, Martinez N, Schmolze D, Presant C, Ebrahimi B, Yeon C, Sedrak M, Patel N, Portnow J, Lee P, Mortimer J. Phase I/II trial of palbociclib, pembrolizumab and letrozole in patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2021 Jul 1;154:11-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.05.035. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34217908. 
  • Batalla-Covello J, Ngai HW, Flores L, McDonald M, Hyde C, Gonzaga J, Hammad M, Gutova M, Portnow J, Synold T, Curiel DT, Lesniak MS, Aboody KS, Mooney R. Multiple Treatment Cycles of Neural Stem Cell Delivered Oncolytic Adenovirus for the Treatment of Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Dec 16;13(24):6320. doi: 10.3390/cancers13246320. PMID: 34944938. 
  • Mohile NA, Messersmith H, Gatson NT, Hottinger AF, Lassman A, Morton J, Ney D, Nghiemphu PL, Olar A, Olson J, Perry J, Portnow J, Schiff D, Shannon A, Shih HA, Strowd R, van den Bent M, Ziu M, Blakeley J. Therapy for Diffuse Astrocytic and Oligodendroglial Tumors in Adults: ASCO-SNO Guideline. J Clin Oncol. 2022 Feb 1;40(4):403-426. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.02036. Epub 2021 Dec 13. PMID: 34898238. 
  • Mohile NA, Messersmith H, Gatson NT, Hottinger AF, Lassman A, Morton J, Ney D, Nghiemphu PL, Olar A, Olson J, Perry J, Portnow J, Schiff D, Shannon A, Shih HA, Strowd R, van den Bent M, Ziu M, Blakeley J. Therapy for Diffuse Astrocytic and Oligodendroglial Tumors in Adults: ASCO-SNO Guideline. Neuro-Oncology 2022 Mar 24(3):358-383. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noab279 PMID: 34898238 
  • Portnow J*, Wang D*, Blanchard MS, Tran V, Alizadeh D, Starr R, Dodia R, Chiu V, Brito A, Kilpatrick J, McNamara P, Forman SJ, Badie B, Synold TW, Brown CE. Systemic Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy Results in PD-1 Blockade on T Cells in the Cerebrospinal Fluid. JAMA Oncol. 2020 Oct 8;6(12):1–5. PMID: 33030521; PMCID: PMC7545351.
  • Portnow J, Badie B, Suzette Blanchard M, Kilpatrick J, Tirughana R, Metz M, Mi S, Tran V, Ressler J, D'Apuzzo M, Aboody KS, Synold TW. Feasibility of intracerebrally administering multiple doses of genetically modified neural stem cells to locally produce chemotherapy in glioma patients. Cancer Gene Ther. 2020 Sep 8. PMID: 32895489.
  • Gutova M, Flores L, Adhikarla V, Tsaturyan L, Tirughana R, Aramburo S, Metz M, Gonzaga J, Annala A, Synold TW, Portnow J, Rockne RC, Aboody KS. Quantitative Evaluation of Intraventricular Delivery of Therapeutic Neural Stem Cells to Orthotopic Glioma. Front Oncol. 2019 Feb 19;9:68. PubMed PMID: 30838174.
  • Sahoo P, Frankel, PH, Ressler J, Gutova M, Annala AJ, Badie B, Portnow J, Aboody KS, D’Apuzzo M, Rockne RC. Early changes in tumor perfusion from dynamic contrast enhanced T1-weighted MRI following neural stem cell-mediated therapy for recurrent high grade gliomas correlates with overall survival. Stem Cells Int. 2018 Mar 14;2018:5312426. PMID: 29731779 PMCID: PMC5872616 
  • Priceman SJ, Tilakawardane D, Jeang B, Murad JP, Park AK, Chang W, Ostberg J, Neman J, Jandial R, Portnow J, Forman SJ, Brown CE. Regional delivery of chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T cells effectively targets HER2+ breast cancer metastasis to the brain. Clin Cancer Res. 2018 Jan 1;24(1):95-105. PMID: 29061641
  • Portnow J, Synold TW, Badie B, Tirughana R, Lacy SF, D’Apuzzo M, Metz M, Najbauer J, Bedell V, Vo T, Gutova M, Frankel P, Chen M, Aboody K. Neural stem cell-based anti-cancer gene therapy: a first-in-human study in recurrent high grade glioma patients.  Clin Cancer Res. 2017 Jun 15;23(12):2951-2960. PMID: 27979915
  • Brown CE, Alizadeh D, Starr R, Weng L, Wagner JR, Naranjo A, Ostbert JR, Blanchard S, Kilpatrick J, Simpson J, Kurien A, Priceman SJ, Wang X, Harshbarger TL, D’Apuzzo M, Ressler JA, Jensen MC, Barish ME, Chen M, Portnow J, Forman SJ, Badie B. Regression of glioblastoma after chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. N Engl J Med. 2016 Dec 29;375(26):2561-9. PMID: 28029927 PMCID: PMC5390684
  • Wheele A, Manzanera AG, Bell SD, Cavliere R, McGregor JM, Grecula JC, Newton HB, Lo SS, Badie B, Portnow J, Teh BS, Trask TW, Baskin DS, New PZ, Aguilar LK, Aguilar-Cordova E, Chiocca EA. Phase II multicenter study of gene-mediated cytotoxic immunotherapy as adjuvant to surgical resection for newly diagnosed malignant glioma. Neuro-Oncology, 2016 Aug;18(8):1137-45. PMCID: PMC4933478
  • Brown CE, Badie B, Barish ME, Weng L, Ostberg JR, Chang WC, Naranjo A, Starr R, Wagner J, Wright C, Zhai Y, Bading JR, Ressler JA, Portnow J, D'Apuzzo M, Forman SJ, Jensen MC. Bioactivity and safety of IL13Rα2-redirected chimeric antigen receptor CD8+ T cells in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2015 Sep 15;21(18):4062-72. PMID: 26059190 PMCID: PMC4632968
  • Portnow J, Badie B, Liu X, Frankel P, Mi S, Chen M, Synold TW. A pilot microdialysis study in brain tumor patients to assess changes in intracerebral cytokine levels after craniotomy and in response to treatment with a targeted anti-cancer agent. J Neurooncol. 2014 May;118(1):169-77. PMCID: PMC4581878 
  • Met, MZ, Gutova M, Lacey SF, Abramyants Y, Vo T, Gilchrist M, Ghodoa LY, Barish MD, Brown CE, Najbauer J, Potter PH, Portnow J, Synold TW, Aboody KS. Neural stem cell-mediated delivery of irinotecan-activating carboxylesterases to glioma: implications for clinical use. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2013 Dec;2(12):983-92. PMCID: PMC3841093 
  • Portnow J, Badie B, Markel S, Liu A, D’Apuzzo M, Frankel P, Jandial R, Synold TW. A Neuropharmacokinetic assessment of bafetinib, a second generation dual BCR-Abl/Lyn tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas. Eur J Cancer. 2013 May; 49(7):1634-40. PMID: 23380277 PMCID: PMC4172445
  • Aboody KS, Najbauer J, Metz MZ, D’Apuzzo M, Gutova M, Annala AJ, Synold TW, Couture LA, Blanchard S, Moats RA, Garcia E, Aramburo S, Valenzuela VV, Frank RT, Barish ME, Kim SU, Badie B, Portnow J. Neural stem cell-mediated enzyme-prodrug therapy for glioma: preclinical studies. Sci Transl Med. 2013 May 8;5(184):184ra59. PMID: 23658244 PMCID: PMC3864887
  • Portnow J, Frankel P, Koehler S, Twardowski P, Shibata S, Martel C, Morgan R, Cristea M, Chow W, Lim D, Chung V, Reckamp K, Leong L, Synold TW. A phase I study of bortezomib and temozolomide in patients with advanced solid tumors. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2012 Feb;69(2):505-14. PMCID: PMC3506384
  • Blakeley J, Portnow J. Microdialysis for assessing intratumoral drug disposition in brain cancers: a tool for rational drug development. Expert Opin Drug MetabToxicol. 2010 Dec;6(12):1477-91. PMCID: PMC3994531 
  • Portnow J, Badie B, Chen M, Liu A, Blanchard S, Synold TW. The neuropharmacokinetics of temozolomide in patients with resectable brain tumors: potential implications for the current approach to chemoradiation. Clin Cancer Res. 2009 Nov 15;15(22):7092-8. PMCID: PMC2908372
  • Portnow J, Lim C, Grossman SA. Assessment of pain caused by invasive procedures in cancer patients. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2003 Jul;1(3):435-9. PMID: 19761075
  • Portnow J, Suleman S, Grossman SA, Eller S, Carson, K. A cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor compared with dexamethasone in a survival study of rats with intracerebral 9L gliosarcomas. Neuro Oncol. Neuro Oncol. 2002 Jan; 4(1):22-5. PMCID: PMC1920630.

See full list of publications

Ratings & Reviews
Ratings and reviews below are gathered from the Press Ganey Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG CAHPS) survey. CG CAHPS is a standardized survey that is used to measure a patient's experience in the physician office setting. Ratings are an average of all responses to questions about a provider's care, with 5 stars being the highest.
Ratings
5.0
Show respect for what you say
4.9
Know important info medical history
4.9
Spend enough time with you
4.9
Provider listen carefully to you
4.8
Rate provider 0-10
4.8
Provider explain in way you understand
4.7
Recommend this provider office
Reviews
06/09/23
Good - Verified patient
06/09/23
Good - Verified patient
06/02/23
Took the the time to care, not rushed - Verified patient
05/31/23
Dr. Portnow is always attentive and caring. She is an excellent doctor who allows me the time to discuss all concerns and answers all questions I have. - Verified patient
05/20/23
Always listen to my concerns and answers all my questions. Very caring and very nice. Thank you very much! - Verified patient