Cancerwise

Jennifer Litton, M.D., knows more than most about breast cancer. As a breast medical oncologist and MD Anderson’s chief clinical research officer, she oversees the world’s largest cancer clinical trials program, which includes many trials that determine the latest and best treatments for breast cancer patients. She herself has led multiple clinical trials that have changed the way oncologists treat breast cancer today.

And in fall 2025, she learned what it’s like to be a breast cancer patient when she was diagnosed with an early-stage breast cancer.

“I feel like a bit of an imposter. I was fortunate my breast cancer was caught so early I knew it could be treated successfully,” Litton says. “But I underwent surgery and radiation and will be starting endocrine therapy, and it’s changed my perspective. I have a better appreciation for everything we ask our patients to go through.”