CARLOS A. PÉREZ, M.D.

November 10, 1934 – August 21, 2023

Carlos A. Pérez, M.D., 88, of Springfield, Missouri, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2023. Dr. Pérez was an internationally recognized pioneer in cancer research and treatment in the field of radiation oncology. His dedication to science and compassionate care for cancer patients advanced the state of the art and touched the lives of countless people. Everyone remembers Dr. Pérez as a dedicated, thoughtful and generous man who personified leadership in the fight against cancer. Dr. Pérez was born in Pereira, Colombia on November 10, 1934 to Pedro Pablo Pérez and Oliva Isaza de Pérez.

During a career that spanned more than 60 years, Carlos A. Pérez, M.D., made an indelible mark on the field of radiation oncology. He was an international expert who made groundbreaking contributions in radiation oncology patient care, research and education. A Professor Emeritus and former Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Mallinckrodt Institute at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Dr. Pérez was best known for his influential research exploring the most effective therapies for several types of cancer. He helped set the norms for treating cancer of the cervix, lung, breast and prostate and treated patients from around the world who traveled to St. Louis to seek his expertise.

Dr. Pérez was also known as an advocate of the human aspect of medicine. Throughout his career, he was motivated by his belief in providing patients with compassion and understanding of their psychological and emotional needs. Pérez was instrumental in the founding of the Cancer Information Center (CIC) at Washington University Medical Center in 1977, which provides medical information and resources as well as emotional support to cancer patients, their families, and friends. The first resource facility of its kind in the United States, it became a model for other similar centers around the world.

Dr. Pérez’s expertise was vast. He was affectionately known as a “walking encyclopedia” in his field. He was a Co-Editor of “Perez and Brady’s Principles and Practice of Radiation Oncology,” which is called “the bible” of the specialty. For more than 30 years, this authoritative and comprehensive book has been regarded as the standard reference for radiation oncologists and residents in this complex field, and the book is known as the discipline’s “text-of-record.” The 7th edition was published in 2018.

In addition to his research and clinical achievements, Dr. Pérez was also known for his teaching and for his leadership in the fight against cancer. He had a direct impact on cancer treatment by training many radiation oncologists and supporting a training program for radiation technologists who wanted to specialize in oncology. An exceptional mentor, Pérez has trained more radiation oncology departmental chairs than anyone else in the country.

Beyond his groundbreaking work, Dr. Pérez’s commitment to high standards and quality also extended to his exuberant enjoyment of life. Anything that could be done or made with care and excellence won his enjoyment and admiration: a delicious cut of salmon; Napa Valley wine; Spanish art; books about the Civil War or Don Quixote; fine photography; mementos from travel to 35+ countries around the world; and well-engineered sports cars. In a similar spirit, he was also voracious about constantly learning – whether it was about grammar, technology, or political memoirs. And in true cosmopolitan fashion, there was nothing he enjoyed more than hours-long conversation and laughter with beloved friends over an unhurried meal.

Dr. Pérez attributed his interest in medicine to his family; two of his uncles and three of his great-uncles were physicians. Raised in Medellin, Colombia, Dr. Pérez earned his bachelor’s degree in 1952 from the Liceo Universidad de Antioquia and his medical degree in 1960 from the Universidad de Antioquia Medical School. He completed a radiology residency at Washington University’s Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) and a radiation therapy fellowship at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Pérez joined the MIR faculty in 1964. He led the Division of Radiation Oncology from 1976 until it became its own department in 2001, when he became its inaugural Chair. Under Perez’s leadership, the Radiation Oncology Center developed a strong research core resulting in significant contributions to cancer treatment, amplifying the effects of radiation with chemotherapy and hyperthermia. He retired in 2004. A highly productive researcher and prolific writer, Dr. Pérez published more than 370 scientific articles and contributed to more than 43 textbooks.

Dr. Pérez is the recipient of many honors. For his professional excellence, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in 1992; the Gold Medal of the American College of Radiology in 1997; the CRILA (Círculo de Radioterapeutas Ibero-Latinoamericanos) Gold Medal in 2000; the Janaway Gold Medal of the American Radium Society in 2005; the National Cancer Fighter Award from the American College of Surgeons in 2006; the Gold Medal of the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (SEOR) in 2013; and the Gold Medal of the Latin American Society of Radiation Oncology (ALATRO) in 2013. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis also presented him with a Faculty Achievement Award in 2013. Pérez also served as past President of ASTRO; as a Trustee of the American Board of Radiology from 1985 to 1997; and he served on the Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society.

Dr. Pérez was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife, Susan Bradshaw Perez. He is survived by his three sons, Carlos S. Perez, Bernard Perez, and Edward Perez; their mother, his first spouse, Blanca M. Pérez M.D.; his grandchildren, Dacota Perez, Xander Perez, Emerson Doyal-Perez, and Mina Doyal-Perez; and his siblings, brother Jorge Pérez, sisters Maria Victoria Uribe and Nubia Perez; and his nieces Elizabeth, Veronica, Natalia, Adriana and Monica. Dr. Pérez was also preceded in death by his sister Maria Eugenia Chavez. After his retirement from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Dr. Pérez moved to Springfield, Missouri, where for decades he enjoyed the companionship, love and support of his wife Susie’s family, including  Jan and CJ Wiggins; Patricia Blair; Libby Ward; and their extended families, including their own children and grandchildren, all of whom loved Dr. Pérez.

There will be a Memorial Service at 1:00 PM at Greenlawn North Funeral Home on Saturday, September 2, 2023. All of Carlos A. Pérez’s family, friends and acquaintances are invited to pay their respects and to celebrate his memory. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the Washington University School of Medicine, designating the donations for the Radiation Oncology department (https://medicine.wustl.edu/giving); or the American Cancer Society (https://donate.cancer.org). 

Dr. Pérez was very well-loved, by many, and those who knew him are better for it.

“Not one single regret.” – CAP