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I expect my patients to live a full-length life in spite of their cancer diagnosis.  My mission as a breast cancer surgeon and cancer researcher is to make their treatments safer and more effective through expert care, compassion, and medical innovation. – Dr. Dennis Holmes

Meet Our Medical Expert

Dennis R. Holmes, MD, F.A.C.S. is an internationally-renowned cancer researcher and breast surgeon and is currently the Chief Breast Surgeon and Medical Director of the Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health. He also serves as a Board member of the American Society of Breast Diseases.

Dr. Holmes is recognized for his pioneering research in intraoperative radiotherapy and is currently the author and principal investigator of two national clinical trials employing the use of cryoablation (tumor freezing) instead of surgery for the treatment of breast

His interest in breast cancer was sparked when he learned of the death of pop singer Dusty Springfield, who died from breast cancer at age 59, and he made it his mission to help women with breast cancer beat the disease and live full lives.

An advocate for treating the person behind the diagnosis, Dr. Holmes’s reputation is widespread for putting people first, not patients.

Dr. Dennis R. Holmes on the connection between Cancer and a Healthy Lifestyle

Practicing a healthy lifestyle is particularly important for cancer survivors. With proper utilization of well-established cancer screening guidelines, most people diagnosed with early stage cancer will to die of another cause—most likely another preventable diseases such as heart disease, lung disease, or stroke.

This is the reason that I spend less time talking about cancer and more time talking about exercise, nutrition and weight management among my cancer survivors. A healthy lifestyle not only reduces the risk of cancer recurrence, it also reduces the risk of other major health conditions that are more likely to effect their lifespan and quality of life. A cancer diagnosis usually motivates people to overcome lifestyle challenges that they have been avoiding. Thus, as much as a cancer diagnosis may threaten life, an early stage cancer diagnosis can also be a lifesaver that offers survivors a new lease on life.