Leslie K. Dennis, PhD, MS, is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.

She received her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Washington in 1993, and her MS in Biometrics in 1988 from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Dennis’ research focus is on skin cancer, particularly melanoma etiology and prevention, as related to environmental risk factors with R03, R01 and K07 funding. She has also worked on anogenital, hepatocellular and prostate cancers along with non-cancer topics. She has used tools such as mailed questionnaires, telephone interviews along with molecular analyses of trace elements and sexually transmitted infections to conduct this research, but also has interest in genetics. She also has expertise in conducting meta-analyses as related to risk factors for cancer. Dr. Dennis is a reviewer for several cancer and epidemiological journals. She has reviewed R03 and K07 applications for the NCI and spent 5 years as a grant reviewer for the American Cancer Society including chairing the Clinical Research, Cancer Control and Epidemiology peer grant review committee. She has served on the Diversity and Inclusiveness Committee at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and as the College’s representative on the University of Arizona’s Undergraduate Council and its Curriculum and Polices subcommittee.

Dr. Dennis believes that while the outcomes of graduate level courses will include some factual knowledge, they should be focused on increasing a student’s ability to synthesize knowledge, apply concepts, develop problem solving skills, and to think and learn independently. Thus, her goals as a teacher are to assist students in problem solving in order to prepare students and junior faculty to be independent researchers.

Research Interests

• Cancer Epidemiology with a focus in
  • Melanoma
  • Anogenital cancers
  • Hepatocellular cancer
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Infectious causes of cancer
• Environmental Epidemiology
• Epidemiological Methods
• Use of meta-analysis to help focus research
• Behavioral Epidemiology

Teaching Interests

• Advanced Epidemiological Methods
• Cancer Epidemiology
• Conducting a Meta-analysis

Selected Publications

Dennis LK, Arrington AK. Severe COVID-19 among cutaneous melanoma patients with COVID seen in US oncology offices. J Oncol Res Ther. 2025; 10: 10271. DOI: 10.29011/2574-710X.10271.

Dennis LK, Langston ME, Beane-Freeman L, Canalas RA, Lynch CF.  Arsenic and selenium concentrations in toenails and risk of prostate cancer among pesticide applicators. Curr Oncol. 2024; 31(9):5472-5483. doi: 10.3390/curroncol31090405. PMID: 39330033; PMCID: PMC11430890. †

Dennis LK, Brown HE, Arrington AK. Comparison of prognostic factors for Merkel cell carcinoma, mucosal melanoma and cutaneous malignant melanoma: insights into their etiologies. Curr Oncol. 2023; 30(4). 3974-3988.

Lashway SG, Worthen ADM, Abuasbeh JN, Harris RB, Farland LV, O’Rourke MY, Dennis LK. A meta-analysis of sunburns and basal cell carcinoma of the skin. Cancer Epidemiol, 2023; 85:102379. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102379. †

Martin MK, Zaman T, Okello AM, Dennis LK. Validity of a Self-Assessment Skin Tone Palette Compared to a Colorimeter for Characterizing Skin Color for Skin Cancer Research. Curr Oncol. 2023; 30(3), 3189-3200. †

Jung AJ, Jahnke SA, Dennis LK, Bell ML, Burgess JL, Farland LV. Firefighter occupational factors and the risk of preterm birth: results from a survey of women firefighters in the USA. Occup Environ Med. 2023; 80(2)77-85. †

Langston ME, Brown HE, Lynch CF, Roe D, Dennis LK. Ambient UVR is a risk factor for cutaneous melanoma, but not environmental arsenic exposure. Int J Environ. Res. Public Health. 2022; 19 (3), 1742. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph1903174. †

Brown H, Dennis L, Lauro P, Purve J, Pelley E, Oren E. Emerging evidence for infectious causes of cancer in the United States. Epidemiologic Reviews. 2019; 41:82-96.

Tsai RJ, Dennis LK, Lynch CF, Snetselaar LG, Zamba GKD, Scott-Conner C. Lymphedema following breast cancer: the importance of surgical methods and obesity. Front Womens Health. 2018;3(2):1-6. doi: 10.15761/FWH.1000144†

Langston ME, Dennis LK, Lynch CF, Roe D, Brown HE. Temporal Trends in Satellite-Derived Erythemal UVB and Implications for Ambient Sun Exposure Assessment. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017;14(2): pii: E176. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14020176.†

Dennis LK, Lynch CF, Sandler DP, Alavanja MC. Pesticide use and cutaneous melanoma in pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Heath Study. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2010; 118:812-7. [PMID: 20164001]

Dennis LK, Coughlin JA, McKinnon BC, Wells TS, Gaydos CA, Hamsikova E, Gray GC. Sexually transmitted infections and prostate cancer among men in the US military. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009; 18(10):2665-71. [PMID: 19755645].

Dennis LK, Lowe JB, Lynch CF, Alavanja MC. Cutaneous melanoma and obesity in the Agricultural Health Study. Annals of Epidemiology. 2008; 18(3):214-21. [PMID: 18280921]. (PMCID: PMC2459339)

Dennis LK, VanBeek MJ, Beane Freeman LE, Smith BJ, Dawson DV, Coughlin JA. Sunburns and risk of cutaneous melanoma: does age matter? a comprehensive meta-analysis. Annals of Epidemiology. 2008; 18(8):614-27. [PMID: 18652979].

Dennis LK, Beane Freeman LE, VanBeek MJ. Sunscreen use and melanoma: a quantitative review. Annals Internal Med. 2003; 139(12):966-78. [PMID: 14678916].

† Manuscripts resulting from student dissertation projects or master theses.