Women in science have always faced sexist challenges, and many have been forgotten by history. But since the beginning of science itself, women have been at
When Jane Cooke Wright first qualified as a physician in 1945, cancer was largely
seen as the province of surgeons and radiologists. At the start of her career, a variety
of cancer drugs began to become available, and she was at the forefront of the effort
to test their efficacy and encourage their use. She was one of the founders of the
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), helping to create a focus for the practice
of chemotherapy. And she was one of the first to question a one-size-fits-all approach
to cancer treatment, pioneering regimens that were tailored to the individual patient.
Jane Cooke Wright, one of the first Black women doctors upon earning her MD in 1945, played a key role in the development of oncology as a medical specialty, and was one of the founding members of ASCO.