Overview
I am a faculty member at Duke in the Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology. I am a surgical breast oncologist whose clinical research interests focus on the de-escalation of axillary surgery for patients with lymph node positive breast cancer. My translational research interests focus on epigenetic modifications in breast cancer. I have returned to Duke (Medical School 1994), having spent the past 20 years in Los Angeles, most recently at UCLA where I served as Chief of Breast Surgery and Director of Breast Health for the UCLA Health System. I am honored to have joined the Duke faculty and am eager to grow the program in Wake County as the medical director of breast cancer services.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor of Surgery
·
2022 - Present
Surgical Oncology,
Surgery
Chief, Section of Breast Surgery
·
2022 - Present
Surgical Oncology,
Surgery
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
·
2022 - Present
Duke Cancer Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Recent Publications
Survival outcomes after pathologic complete response with neoadjuvant endocrine therapy vs. neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a retrospective national database study.
Journal Article Breast Cancer Res Treat · July 2025 BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant therapies can result in pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients with breast cancer, which can be predictive of long-term outcomes. Patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER +) tumors may receive either neoadjuvant chemothe ... Full text Link to item CiteERBB2-Low Expression by Race and Ethnicity Among Patients With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
Journal Article JAMA Netw Open · June 2, 2025 IMPORTANCE: Racial and ethnic disparities in pathologic complete response (pCR) and overall survival (OS) have been reported in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In addition to socioeconomic factors and access to care, differences in tumo ... Full text Link to item CiteRisk Stratification for Sentinel Lymph Node Positivity in Older Women With Early-Stage Estrogen Receptor-Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Neu-Negative Invasive Breast Cancer.
Journal Article JCO Clin Cancer Inform · March 2025 PURPOSE: Guidelines recommend omission of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for axillary staging in select patients age 70 years and older with early-stage estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 neu-negative (HER2-) inva ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Surgical axillary lymph node removal with the option of "extended surgery" or "radiotherapy" in breast cancer patients with existing axillary lymph node involvement
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University Hospital Basel · 2024 - 2029A single shot therapy will accelerate the elimination of breast cancer
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity · 2024 - 2028Single Cell and Spatial Analysis of Lethal Breast Cancers
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2024 - 2028View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Duke University, School of Medicine ·
1994
M.D.
Yale University ·
1989
B.S.