Meet MSK Kids Pediatric Neuro-Oncologist Matthias Karajannis

Meet MSK Kids Pediatric Neuro-Oncologist Matthias Karajannis

Matthias Karajannis is the Chief of the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Service at MSK. Learn about his expertise in caring for children and young adults with brain and spinal cord tumors.
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 Memorial Sloan Kettering pediatric neuro-oncologist Matthias Karajannis

Matthias A. Karajannis, MD, MS

Pediatric Neuro-Oncologist

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Pediatric brain tumors
  • Pediatric spinal tumors
  • Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST)

My Specialties

  • Clinical trials
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Dr. Karajannis's Office Information
Languages: English & German
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Get to Know Me

I am a pediatric neuro-oncologist who cares for children with brain tumors, spinal cord tumors, and neurofibromatosis, as I have for the past two decades. As Chief of the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering, I feel privileged to be part of a community of some of the most dedicated clinicians and scientists in the world. On the MSK Kids team, we are all committed to our young patients and share a drive to improve their diagnosis and treatment.

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I went to medical school during a time when rapid progress was being made to treat children with cancer using chemotherapy, particularly children with leukemia. I witnessed how collaboration, laboratory research, and clinical research turned once-deadly cancers into curable diseases. After completing my pediatric residency training and a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology, I decided to pursue additional training in pediatric neuro-oncology. I realized that despite the progress that had been made, many children with brain tumors were not doing well. There is an urgent need for new therapies that are more effective and have fewer side effects.

At MSK, we have the most skilled and experienced medical and surgical experts caring for children with brain tumors. First and foremost, we rely on one another to make the most accurate diagnosis. Because of advances in our understanding of the molecular roots of cancer, we now have the unprecedented ability to distinguish brain tumors that may look alike under the microscope but behave and respond to treatment differently. This enhanced understanding also lets us identify weaknesses in tumors that we can target with special drugs. This approach, called precision medicine, is changing the way we care for children with brain tumors and has tremendous potential.

Once we have learned what kind of tumor a child has, our team of experts — together with our patients and their families — creates a personalized care plan. Some children with low-grade or noncancerous tumors may only need to be watched. Those with more aggressive cancers may need surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy. All of these treatments are available at MSK. We also have a strong clinical trials program for children with brain tumors. These patients may be able to receive promising new treatments. Our goal for every child is a cure while minimizing the side effects of treatment.

In addition to caring for patients, I conduct research. My research translates clinical observations and findings from the laboratory into better ways to diagnose and treat children and young adults with brain tumors. I am currently the principal investigator of several early-phase clinical trials to find new treatments for people with neurofibromatosis. This inherited condition predisposes people to nervous system tumors. I am also serving in leadership roles and as study chair in multicenter clinical trial groups, such as the Children’s Oncology Group, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, and the Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trials Consortium.

I recognize that a cancer diagnosis is perhaps the most difficult and challenging time in the life of a child and their family. Each situation is unique. To that end, all patients and families can rest assured that our experts will be with them throughout the entire experience — from diagnosis through treatment and survivorship. We are a team, and we are here to make sure that our patients receive the very best care available. 

What I Do at MSK

I'm a pediatric neurologist and neuro-oncologist, which is a doctor with special training in both neurology and neuro-oncology. A neurologist treats problems of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. A neuro-oncologist treats cancers of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. This includes tumors in the brain and central nervous system. I treat children and adolescents.

  • Chief, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Service
Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Pediatric brain tumors
  • Pediatric spinal tumors
  • Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST)
  • Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH)
  • Neurologic-related conditions - neurofibromatosis

My Specialties

  • Clinical trials
Education & Honors

Education

  • MS, New York University School of Medicine
  • MD, Free University Berlin

Residencies

  • Pediatrics – Duke University Medical Center

Fellowships

  • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • Pediatric Neuro-Oncology – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Board Certifications

  • General Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Insurance Information

Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

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Contact and Location

Dr. Karajannis sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue New York NY 10065
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Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

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Clinical Trials

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Find a Clinical Trial for You

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.

You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.

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Research and Publications

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Karajannis’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Matthias A. Karajannis discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • 3M
    Equity
  • Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
    Equity
  • BSR Real Estate Investment Trust
    Equity
  • Doximity, Inc.
    Equity
  • Medscape
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Physicians' Education Resource
    Professional Services and Activities
  • SFL Corporation Ltd.
    Equity
  • Solventum Corporation
    Equity
  • The Walt Disney Company
    Equity
  • Unum Group
    Equity
  • Vonovia SE
    Equity

If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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