Dr. Carol Brown Joins President’s Cancer Panel

Last week, Carol L. Brown, MD, FACS, FACOG, a renowned gynecologic oncologist, leader in health and cancer equity, and ACS Regent, officially started her role on the President’s Cancer Panel after the White House announced the impending appointment in 2022. This influential three-person panel monitors the activities of the National Cancer Program and reports directly to the President on barriers to progress in reducing the burden of cancer in the US.

A Fellow of the ACS since 1999, Dr. Brown is a professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, NY. In addition, she is the senior vice-president and chief health equity officer, Nicholls-Biondi Chair for Health Equity, and vice-chair of health equity in the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK), also in New York City.

Dr. Brown is a former member of original Cancer Moonshot, which President Biden initiated in 2016 when he was Vice President. The Cancer Moonshot resumed work in 2022 with the release of the President’s Cancer Panel Report, “Closing Gaps in Cancer Screening: Connecting People, Communities, and Systems to Improve Equity and Access,” which the ACS supported and in which Dr. Brown noted the importance of joint efforts to improve access and equity in cancer care.

Throughout her career, Dr. Brown has provided high-quality cancer care to women, addressed disparities in cancer care and outcomes, and advocated for improved public policy for gynecologic and other cancers. Her health equity roles at MSK allow Dr. Brown to address the social determinants of health that affect cancer health outcomes. She has been integral to managing the Cancer Health Equity research program, which allows underserved patients to participate in MSK clinical trials.