Carole Miller, M.D

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Carole Miller, M.D

Cancer Institute Director
Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital

What is your most significant professional accomplishment?

The most significant accomplishment was helping bring several targeted cancer therapies into clinical practice through clinical trial excellence both at Hopkins and Saint Agnes. I treated more than 150 patients with an oral drug, imatinib, in the early clinical trials started in 1999 and helped with development of the early clinical research program. I still have many of the original patients in my practice, some off therapy and considered cured, which is amazing. Knowing what made cancer cells have a growth advantage and helping to bring an agent that tricks these cells into growing more normally to patients has been amazing.

Please share an example of mentoring experiences.

I have been able to mentor many younger hematologist oncologists by starting the Baltimore blood club, where fun loving hematologists meet together over dinner to discuss difficult cases and learn from each other. During this time, we also discuss practice issues and how to manage the difficult issues we all face as we manage difficult cancer and blood disorders. It is a great support group and I have fostered relationships with many younger hematologists as they start their practice.

What is your most significant personal accomplishment?

I am proud that I am able to combine a busy demanding practice and leadership role at my hospital with a strong commitment to improving my community through advocacy, philanthropy and direct action. I am constantly reminded that for many of my patients, their cancer is not their biggest struggle that day and it moves me to work to make our community stronger and more resilient.

This is an honoree profile from The Daily Record's Top 100 Women awards. Information for this profile was sourced from the honoree's application for the award.