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Review
. 2025 Jul 22;17(7):e88511.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.88511. eCollection 2025 Jul.

Dr. Jane C. Wright (1919-2013): The Architect of Modern Chemotherapy and Clinical Oncology

Muhammad Hamza Shah  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Dr. Jane C. Wright (1919-2013): The Architect of Modern Chemotherapy and Clinical Oncology

Muhammad Hamza Shah. Cureus. .

Abstract

Dr. Jane Cooke Wright (1919-2013) was a trailblazing African American surgeon-scientist who transformed cancer chemotherapy from an experimental last resort into a cornerstone of modern oncology. Over a career spanning 40 years, she and her collaborators pioneered human tissue-culture methods to test anti-cancer drugs, introduced nitrogen mustard and methotrexate therapies, and advocated for novel multi-drug combination regimens. Dr. Wright held major research and clinical leadership positions and was instrumental in the founding of many eminent organizations/bodies, including the Chemotherapy Department at New York Medical College and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which she co-founded in 1964. As an African American woman, she overcame pervasive racial and gender barriers to become the highest-ranking Black woman physician in U.S. medicine by the 1960s. This article reviews Dr. Wright's scientific contributions in chemotherapy development and clinical research, her personal and educational background (including the influence of her father, Dr. Louis T. Wright), and her enduring impact on cancer care and medical leadership.

Keywords: cancer research; chemotherapy; historical vignette; medical pioneers; oncology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Photograph of Dr. Jane Cooke Wright
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (public domain): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jane_Cooke_Wright.jpg
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. In Memoriam: ASCO remembers founding member Dr. Jane Cooke Wright. [ Jul; 2025 ]. 2013. https://connection.asco.org/do/memoriam-asco-remembers-founding-member-d... https://connection.asco.org/do/memoriam-asco-remembers-founding-member-d...
    1. Louis Tompkins Wright, MD, FACS, 1891-1952. [ Jul; 2025 ]. 2013. https://www.facs.org/about-acs/archives/past-highlights/wrighthighlight/ https://www.facs.org/about-acs/archives/past-highlights/wrighthighlight/

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