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Jennifer K Plichta

E. Fulton Brylawski Associate Professor in Women's Health
Surgical Oncology

Overview


Dr. Jennifer Plichta is an Associate Professor of Surgery & Population Health Sciences at Duke University. She serves as the Director of the Breast Risk Assessment Clinic in the Duke Cancer Institute, where she cares for patients with breast cancer, benign breast problems, and those with an increased risk of breast cancer. Her clinical interests include establishing routine breast cancer risk assessment for women and creating personalized management strategies for those found to be “high risk”.

Dr. Plichta’s research focuses of identifying and managing women with risk factors for breast cancer, including those with genetic mutations, such as BRCA, those with abnormal breast biopsies, and those with a family history of breast cancer. She is also studying metastatic breast cancer and how breast cancer staging can be used to improve patient care and education. 

However, her dedication to breast cancer extends beyond her clinical and research interests. She also enjoys educating the community about breast cancer and helping to raise money for breast cancer research and education. She is the creator and primary coordinator of Duke’s free, annual breast education day for the community, “What’s best for breasts?”.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


E. Fulton Brylawski Associate Professor in Women's Health · 2025 - Present Surgical Oncology, Surgery
Associate Professor of Surgery · 2021 - Present Surgical Oncology, Surgery
Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences · 2021 - Present Population Health Sciences, Basic Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2018 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers

In the News


Published October 14, 2025
Breast Cancer Treatments in Older Patients
Published May 12, 2025
Breast Cancer Screenings & Older Patients
Published February 19, 2025
Duke Experts on Why More Younger Women are Getting Cancer

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Recent Publications


Normalized breast cancer survival outcomes in U.S. tumor registries.

Journal Article Cancer Epidemiol · April 2026 BACKGROUND: This study normalized the National Cancer Database (NCDB) and Surveillance, Epidemiology, End Results Program (SEER) populations to mirror the USCS population and examined survival outcomes in breast cancer following normalization. METHODS: Pat ... Full text Link to item Cite

Radiation De-Escalation in Older Women with Early-Stage ER+/HER2- Invasive Breast Cancer.

Journal Article Ann Surg Oncol · March 2026 BACKGROUND: National recommendations since 2004 have allowed for omission of post-lumpectomy radiotherapy for patients ≥70 years old with early-stage estrogen receptor positive (ER+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer. ... Full text Link to item Cite

Association between type and location of germline BRCA1/2 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants with phenotype and prognosis in young patients with breast cancer: results from an international cohort study.

Journal Article Ann Oncol · March 2026 BACKGROUND: The clinical implications of specific pathogenic and likely pathogenic variant (LP/PV) types and locations in the BRCA1 orBRCA2 tumor-suppressor genes remain to be elucidated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The BRCA BCY Collaboration (NCT03673306) is an ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Education, Training & Certifications


Loyola University Medical Center · 2012 M.S.
Indiana University, School of Medicine · 2008 M.D.
Depauw University · 2002 B.A.