Professor of Medicine & Oncology, Vice Chairof Breast Medical Oncology, Senior Member
For Dr. Loretta Loftus, medicine has always been more than a profession—it is a calling rooted in family, service, and compassion. Born in Tampa and raised in the Kansas City area, she grew up inspired by a family legacy in medicine. Her grandfather was a physician, and her uncle, a surgeon and founding faculty member of the University of South Florida College of Medicine, demonstrated firsthand the profound impact physicians can have on patients’ lives. Guided by her grandmother’s enduring belief that “medicine is the most honorable profession,” Dr. Loftus set out to build a career dedicated to improving the lives of others.
After earning her undergraduate degree with honors from Tulane University and her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where she was elected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, she completed residency training in Internal Medicine and fellowship training in Hematology and Medical Oncology. Following years of academic leadership in Kansas City, she joined Moffitt Cancer Center in 2001, drawn by its commitment to excellence and innovation. Today, she serves as Vice Chair of Breast Medical Oncology and leads Moffitt’s Breast Cancer Evaluation and Prevention Program for individuals at high risk of developing breast cancer.
Dr. Loftus devotes her career to patient care, education, research, mentorship, and leadership. Her guiding philosophy is simple: always focus on the patient and their needs. Whether caring for individuals facing a breast cancer diagnosis, teaching the next generation of healthcare professionals, or advancing prevention strategies through research, she remains committed to delivering compassionate, human-centered care.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Loftus enjoys travel, literature, the arts, and spending time with family and friends. A lifelong mystery enthusiast, she still dreams of one day becoming the next Agatha Christie—proving that curiosity and imagination remain at the heart of everything she does.
813-745-4673
Florida
moffitt.org/providers/loretta-loftus
