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
Recent Publications
Short-term Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Bilateral Risk-Reducing Mastectomy for Patients at a High Risk for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review.
Journal Article Ann Surg Oncol · April 2025 BACKGROUND: Bilateral risk-reducing mastectomies (RRMs) have been proven to decrease the risk of breast cancer in patients at high risk owing to family history or having pathogenic genetic mutations. However, few resources with consolidated data have detai ... Full text Link to item CiteASO Visual Abstract: Short-Term Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Bilateral Risk-Reducing Mastectomy for Patients at High Risk for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review.
Journal Article Ann Surg Oncol · April 2025 Full text Link to item CiteASO Visual Abstract: Quality of Cancer Recurrence Data in the National Cancer Database: A Reappraisal of Reporting Readiness
Journal Article Annals of Surgical Oncology · April 2025 Full text CiteRecent Grants
A Phase I Study of SRG-514 Administered Intraoperatively to the Site of Tumor Resection of Patients undergoing Breast-Conserving Cancer Surgery (SRG-514-01)
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Surge Therapeutics · 2024 - 2029Effectiveness and implementation of a decision support tool to improve surgical decision making in young women with breast cancer
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Cornell University · 2022 - 2027Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health - BIRCWH
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEScholar · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2002 - 2027View All Grants