Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE is the Ruth C. and Raymond G. Perelman Professor of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Guerra is a general internist and health equity researcher. She is also the Vice Chair of Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Medicine and the Associate Director of Diversity and Outreach for the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC).
Dr. Guerra and her team have led dissemination and implementation research of breast, colorectal cancer screening and prostate cancer screening interventions, including establishing patient navigations program, colorectal cancer “Screen to Save” and “Flu-FIT” programs, and the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program which have engaged more thousands of underserved, minority Philadelphia residents in cancer screening. These efforts contributed to the increase in cancer screening rates in Philadelphia.
Dr. Guerra also has created and evaluated interventions to increase the participation of minority patients in cancer clinical trials including establishing community outreach, education and engagement initiatives, the Lazarex Cancer Foundation’s financial reimbursement program for out-of-pocket costs related to travel to cancer clinical trials and the ACC Clinical Trials Ambassador Program. Dr. Guerra also co-chaired an American Society of Clinical Oncology-Association of Community Cancer Centers national workgroup that developed the Just Ask! unconscious bias training for cancer research teams and an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Site Self-Assessment for cancer research sites.
At the national level, Dr. Guerra serves as the American Cancer Society (ACS) Board Scientific Officer for the National Board of Directors, and on several ACS committees including the Clinical Guideline Development Committees. She has authored numerous articles including the current American Cancer Society’s colorectal cancer screening guidelines and the cervical cancer screening guidelines. These publications widely influence current clinical practice.
Areas of Expertise | Cancer Screenings, Cancer Clinical Trials, Health Disadvantaged Populations, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Care Disparities, Social Determinants of Health
Clinical Areas | General Internal Medicine, Oncology
Selected Publications:
Islami F, Guerra CE, Minihan A, Yabroff KR, Fedewa SA, Sloan K, Wiedt TL, Thomson B, Siegel RL, Nargis N, Winn RA, Lacasse L, Makaroff L, Daniels EC, Patel AV, Cance WG, Jemal A. American Cancer Society's report on the status of cancer disparities in the United States, 2021. CA Cancer J Clin. 2022 Mar;72(2):112-143. doi: 10.3322/caac.21703. Epub 2021 Dec 8. PMID: 34878180.
Alcaraz KI, Wiedt TL, Daniels EC, Yabroff KR, Guerra CE, Wender RC. Understanding and addressing social determinants to advance cancer health equity in the United States: A blueprint for practice, research, and policy. CA Cancer J Clin. 2020 Jan;70(1):31-46. doi: 10.3322/caac.21586. Epub 2019 Oct 29. PMID: 31661164.
Wolf AMD, Fontham ETH, Church TR, Flowers CR, Guerra CE, LaMonte SJ, Etzioni R, McKenna MT, Oeffinger KC, Shih YT, Walter LC, Andrews KS, Brawley OW, Brooks D, Fedewa SA, Manassaram-Baptiste D, Siegel RL, Wender RC, Smith RA. Colorectal cancer screening for average-risk adults: 2018 guideline update from the American Cancer Society. CA Cancer J Clin. 2018 Jul;68(4):250-281. doi: 10.3322/caac.21457. Epub 2018 May 30. PMID: 29846947.
Fontham ETH, Wolf AMD, Church TR, Etzioni R, Flowers CR, Herzig A, Guerra CE, Oeffinger KC, Shih YT, Walter LC, Kim JJ, Andrews KS, DeSantis CE, Fedewa SA, Manassaram-Baptiste D, Saslow D, Wender RC, Smith RA. Cervical cancer screening for individuals at average risk: 2020 guideline update from the American Cancer Society. CA Cancer J Clin. 2020 Sep;70(5):321-346. doi: 10.3322/caac.21628. Epub 2020 Jul 30. PMID: 32729638.
Guerra C, Pressman A, Hurley P, Garrett-Mayer E, Bruinooge SS, Howson A, Kaltenbaugh M, Hanley Williams J, Boehmer L, Bernick LA, Byatt L, Charlot M, Crews J, Fashoyin-Aje L, McCaskill-Stevens W, Merrill J, Nowakowski G, Patel MI, Ramirez A, Zwicker V, Oyer RA, Pierce LJ. Increasing Racial and Ethnic Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Cancer Treatment Trials: Evaluation of an ASCO-Association of Community Cancer Centers Site Self-Assessment. JCO Oncol Pract. 2023 Apr;19(4):e581-e588. doi: 10.1200/OP.22.00560. Epub 2023 Jan 11. PMID: 36630663; PMCID: PMC10101254.
Barrett NJ, Boehmer L, Schrag J, Benson AB, Green S, Hamroun-Yazid L, Howson A, Matin K, Oyer RA, Pierce L, Jeames SE, Winkfield K, Yang ES, Zwicker V, Bruinooge S, Hurley P, Williams JH, Guerra CE. An Assessment of the Feasibility and Utility of an ACCC-ASCO Implicit Bias Training Program to Enhance Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Cancer Clinical Trials. JCO Oncol Pract. 2023 Apr;19(4):e570-e580. doi: 10.1200/OP.22.00378. Epub 2023 Jan 11. PMID: 36630671.
Guerra C, Pressman A, Hurley P, Garrett-Mayer E, Bruinooge SS, Howson A, Kaltenbaugh M, Hanley Williams J, Boehmer L, Bernick LA, Byatt L, Charlot M, Crews J, Fashoyin-Aje L, McCaskill-Stevens W, Merrill J, Nowakowski G, Patel MI, Ramirez A, Zwicker V, Oyer RA, Pierce LJ. Increasing Racial and Ethnic Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Cancer Treatment Trials: Evaluation of an ASCO-Association of Community Cancer Centers Site Self-Assessment. JCO Oncol Pract. 2023 Apr;19(4):e581-e588. doi: 10.1200/OP.22.00560. Epub 2023 Jan 11. PMID: 36630663; PMCID: PMC10101254.