Dr. Barbara O'Brien
Medical Oncologist
1 Podcast on BackTable
Dr. Barbara O’Brien is a medical oncologist and an associate professor of Neuro-Oncology at MD Anderson.
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Episode # 81 • 15 Sept 2026
CNS Disease in Breast Cancer: Clinical Management & Strategies
How should a breast cancer team manage central nervous system (CNS) disease now that systemic therapy, radiation, and surgery all compete for the first move? On this episode of BackTable Tumor Board, host Dr. Lindsay Peterson interviews Dr. Barbara O'Brien, neuro-oncologist at MD Anderson, about diagnosis, sequencing, and follow-up for CNS disease in breast cancer. They discuss risk by subtype, when to image and screen, and the importance of multidisciplinary workup for new brain metastases, as well as how to choose and sequence local and systemic options.
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About
Dr. Barbara O’Brien is an associate professor of Neuro-Oncology at MD Anderson who specializes in the treatment of primary brain tumors, such as glioblastoma, astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma, as well as brain metastasis and leptomeningeal disease. She obtained her medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine and completed a clinical residency in neurology at University of Connecticut. Following a clinical fellowship in neuro-oncology at MD Anderson, she joined the faculty in 2014. Dr. O’Brien’s clinical research interests focus on finding new treatment strategies for patients diagnosed with primary brain tumors, brain metastasis or leptomeningeal disease. She has served as principal investigator on numerous clinical trials for patients with these advanced cancers and is actively involved in MD Anderson’s brain metastasis program.
Visit MD Anderson to learn more about Dr. Barbara O'Brien.
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