Worta McCaskill-Stevens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Worta McCaskill-Stevens
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| Born | |
| Died | November 15, 2023 |
| Alma mater | Washington University in St. Louis American College of Switzerland Georgetown University School of Medicine |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Medical oncology, clinical trials |
| Institutions | National Cancer Institute |
Worta J. McCaskill-Stevens was a special kind of doctor and scientist. She focused on helping people with cancer and finding ways to prevent it. She was an expert in medical oncology, which means she treated cancer patients. She also studied cancer disparities, looking at why cancer affects some groups of people differently.
Dr. McCaskill-Stevens was a leader at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This is a big part of the U.S. government that does cancer research. She led a group that focused on cancer research in communities and on preventing cancer. She passed away on November 15, 2023.
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Her Early Life and Learning
Worta McCaskill-Stevens was born in a town called Louisburg, North Carolina. She went to college at Washington University in St. Louis and also studied at the American College of Switzerland.
Before becoming a doctor, she gained experience in publishing. She worked as an intern for Time magazine. She also helped edit medical books and articles for other groups.
Becoming a Doctor
Dr. McCaskill-Stevens started medical school when she was 30 years old. She went to Georgetown University School of Medicine. In 1985, she earned her medical degree, which is called an M.D.
After medical school, she trained in internal medicine. This means she learned to treat many different adult illnesses. Later, she specialized even more. She completed a fellowship in medical oncology at the Mayo Clinic. This training made her an expert in treating cancer.
Her Work and Research
Dr. McCaskill-Stevens joined the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 1998. She became a program director for an important study. This study looked at medicines like tamoxifen and raloxifene for preventing breast cancer. She also helped with breast cancer prevention programs in communities.
She was a key member of several important groups. These groups worked on understanding and treating breast cancer. She even helped lead a breast care center at the Indiana University Cancer Center.
Leading Cancer Research Programs
Dr. McCaskill-Stevens became the chief of a special research group at NCI. This group runs the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). NCORP is a network that helps local hospitals and doctors. It allows them to take part in NCI-approved cancer studies.
These studies include research on cancer treatment, prevention, and screening. They also look at how cancer care is given to patients. As the director of NCORP, she made sure these important studies happened across the country.
Her Research Interests
Dr. McCaskill-Stevens was very interested in several areas of cancer research. She studied cancer disparities. This means she looked at why cancer affects different groups of people in different ways. She worked to make sure everyone had a fair chance at good cancer care.
She also focused on managing other health problems during clinical trials. Clinical trials are research studies that test new treatments. She also did molecular research. This type of research looks at tiny parts of cells to find out who might benefit most from cancer prevention methods.
Awards and Special Honors
Dr. McCaskill-Stevens received many awards for her important work. In 2016, she was given the Jane Cooke Wright Memorial Lectureship. This award honors scientists who have made big contributions to cancer research.
Some of her other awards include:
- The Kaiser Family Fund Award for leadership in medicine.
- The NIH Director's Award for her work on clinical trials.
- The NCI Merit Award for her efforts in breast cancer prevention.
In 2013, Ebony magazine listed her as one of the "Power 100." This list recognized the most influential African Americans in science and health. In 2017, her old university, Georgetown University, gave her an honorary Doctor of Science degree. This was a special recognition of her achievements.
In 2020, she received the ACCC David King Community Clinical Scientist Award. This award is given to leaders who help develop and run clinical studies in communities.
Images for kids
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Dr. McCaskill-Stevens at the National Cancer Institute
 | Roy Wilkins |
 | John Lewis |
 | Linda Carol Brown |
