Denise Johnson, M.D., FACS

Clinical Focus

• Cancer > Breast Cancer
• Cancer > Cutaneous (Dermatologic) Oncology
• Breast Cancer - Surgery
• General Surgery
• Melanoma - Surgery

Administrative Appointments

• Faculty Advisor, Stanford Undergraduate freshman and sophomores (2007 - 2010)
• Guest Editor, Annals of Surgical Oncology (2006 - present)
• Editorial Board, American Journal of Surgery (2003 - 2005)
• Guest Editor, Journal of Dermatology (2005 - present)
• Advising Dean for Medical Students, Stanford University Medical School (2001 - 2007)
View All 13administrative appointments of Denise Johnson

Honors and Awards

• Educators4CARE Selected Faculty, Stanford School of Medicine (June 2008)
• American Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connelly (2005 - 2008)
• Outstanding Service, American Cancer Society Santa Clara Division Board of Directors (June 2004)
• Recognition for Excellence in Teaching, Stanford University (June 2004)
• Inaugural National Medical Leadership In Education Award, Women of Color in Education, Health and Technology (2002)

Professional Education

Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations

• Immunology

Community & International Work

• Stanford Cancer Center Outreach 
• HIV aids orphan outreach, South Africa 
• Vice Chairman of the Board, San Francisco 
• International American College of Surgeons Scientific Program, South Africa 
• Breast and Cervical Cancer Advisory Board 

Research Interests

In collaboration with the Departments of Hematology/Oncology and Pathology, immunohistochemical, microarray and FACS analysis of sentinel and non sentinel nodes are evaluated to determine if changes in the immune profile of tumor draining lymph nodes may predict prognosis and survival in cancer patients. Additional study of mechanism of immunosuppression in patients with cancer is another important area of investigation.
In collaboration with the Departments of Radiation Oncology, Dermatology and Nuclear Medicine determination of accuracy of detecting intraoperative cancers using a PET intraoperative probe are currently under investigation.
The study of intraoperative imaging of sentinel nodes using a hand held gamma camera which may allow for more accurate and thorough identification of sentinel lymph nodes in cancer patients.
The outcome of breast cancer patients in diverse populations is an active area of investigation. Recent reports note that there are significant differences in expression in specific genes, receptors and proteins in patients from diverse backgrounds which effect survival. Tissue samples from diverse populations in the US and other countries will be analyzed for gene and receptor expression in large population studies.
Development of a interdisciplinary translational program which will analyze stem cells from all stages of melanoma patients.

Clinical Trials

• Dasatinib in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Mucosal Melanoma, Acral Melanoma, or Solar Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery Recruiting
• Immunobiology of Breast Cancer Recruiting
• Vaccine Therapy Using Melanoma Peptides for Cytotoxic T Cells and Helper T Cells in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Completed

Publications

• Impaired interferon signaling is a common immune defect in human cancer. Critchley-Thorne RJ, Simons DL, Yan N, Miyahira AK, Dirbas FM, Johnson DL, Swetter SM, Carlson RW, Fisher GA, Koong A, Holmes S, Lee PP. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009; 106 (22): 9010-5
• New models and online calculator for predicting non-sentinel lymph node status in sentinel lymph node positive breast cancer patients. Kohrt HE, Olshen RA, Bermas HR, Goodson WH, Wood DJ, Henry S, Rouse RV, Bailey L, Philben VJ, Dirbas FM, Dunn JJ, Johnson DL, Wapnir IL, Carlson RW, Stockdale FE, Hansen NM, Jeffrey SS. BMC Cancer. 2008: 8 66
• 2 Reoxy-2 (F-18) Fluoro-D glucose positron emission tomography computed tomography in the management of melanoma Iagaru A, Iagaru A, Quon A, Johnson D, Gambhir S, McDougall, IR. Mol. Imaging Biol. 2007; 1 (9): 50-57.
• Staging accuracy in mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome using integrated positron emission tomography and computer tomography Tsai EY, Taur A, Espinosa L, Quon A, Johnson D, Dick S, Chow S, Advani R, Warnke R, Kohler S, Hoppe RT, Kim YH. Arch of Dermatology. 2006; 5 (142): 577-584
• The role of positron and high energy gamma photon probe in introperative localization of recurrent melanoma. Franc BL, Mari C, Johnson D, Leong SP. Clin Nucl. Med. 2005; 12 (30): 787-791