In October 2021, Los Angeles-based nonprofit cancer research organization Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) brought together local comprehensive health organization Providence St. John’s/Santa Monica, UCLA Health, and community organizations in South and East Lost Angeles to proactively address ongoing disparities in screening and treatment of colorectal cancers.
This project, part of a Stand Up To Cancer “Dream Team,” has been established at a critical time for colorectal cancer prevention where delayed cancer screenings and health disparities have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
The LA project is extremely ambitious, meeting community and patient needs with innovation, collaboration and new strategies. The goal is to have 80% of eligible persons participate in colorectal screening, and treatment when indicated, in each community. For colorectal cancer, where early detection provides enormous patient benefits and can lead to relatively simple treatments that eliminate the cancer, the need for this work has never been greater. This is especially true for Black and Hispanic Americans, who are statistically diagnosed at a later stage in the disease when it is far more challenging to successfully treat.
The Dream Team received a total of $8 million – $6 million from molecular diagnostic company Exact Sciences and $2 million from Providence Health – for this innovative and comprehensive approach that brings together leading researchers, patient advocates, community leaders, and clinicians to accomplish colorectal cancer screening goals. The team has successfully established and implemented comprehensive at-home stool-based colorectal cancer screening programs at community health centers to increase screening rates to 80% within the SU2C Zones.
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