News 2021
UCLA Health helps lead new $8M initiative to improve colorectal cancer screening rates nationwide
UCLA Health has been named a key partner and major grant recipient in an innovative national initiative launched by Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C), Exact Sciences and Providence Saint John's Health Center, aimed at addressing healthcare disparities in colorectal cancer care and prevention.
The new Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team will receive $8 million – $6 million from Exact Sciences and $2 million from Providence Saint John's Health Center -- for an innovative and comprehensive approach that will bring together leading researchers, patient advocates, community leaders, and clinicians to accomplish several goals, including improving colorectal cancer screening in medically underserved communities in three ‘SU2C Zones': Los Angeles, Greater Boston, and Great Plains Tribal Communities in South Dakota.
As one of the three “Dream Team” partners, UCLA Health will help lead a three-year robust screening, outreach, and training effort in community health clinics in the Los Angeles area, which has a particularly low screening rate for colorectal cancer, the second most common cause of cancer-related death in American men and women combined.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a dramatic drop in participation in colorectal cancer screening,” said Folasade May, MD, PhD, MPhil, a gastroenterologist, health equity expert, and health services researcher at the UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity and the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Many individuals have delayed essential medical care like cancer screening, especially in racially diverse and low-income communities where cancer outcomes are the direst. Our goal is to make sure that everyone, regardless of background, gets screened for colorectal cancer.”
Dr. May, who is a national Dream Team co-leader, is committed to empowering healthcare providers who serve Los Angeles and other participating communities by providing tools, strategies, and innovative community engagement approaches that will effectively address screening disparities.
Community partners in the Los Angeles area include several local health centers, including four St. John's Well Child and Family Center health centers: W.M. Keck Foundation Health Center in South Los Angeles, Dominguez Health Center in Compton, Magnolia Place Health Center in East Los Angeles, and S. Mark Taper Foundation Health Center in East Los Angeles. Screening participants will also be sought from faith-based congregations in Baldwin Village and from community health centers in Santa Monica who frequently partner with Providence Saint John's Health Center in community health initiatives.
The national Dream Team's wide-ranging goals include: establishing and implementing comprehensive at-home stool-based colorectal cancer screening programs at community health centers to increase screening rates to 80% within the SU2C Zones; ensuring patients who have an abnormal stool-based screening test result receive a follow-up colonoscopy; building a biorepository of blood and stool samples for future research to ensure that low income and racial/ethnic minority populations are represented in the development of new screening tests and early detection methods for colorectal cancer; and fostering the careers of a new generation of Black, Latino, and American Indian doctors and researchers who embody the ideals of community engagement, trust-building and disparities research to improve health outcomes for all patients.
“Our Dream Team integrates the traditionally fragmented fields of health disparities research and healthcare. Integrating social science and health equity with clinical translational research will help us achieve our goals and create systems that can be utilized as models long after our grant period is over,” said Dr. May.
SU2C plans to expand its existing Health Equity Initiative and will also launch the creation of multiple SU2C Zones, which they hope to extend to other communities and cancer types in the future.
Colorectal cancer incidence and deaths are highest in Black Americans, followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives and are lowest in Asians/Pacific Islanders[i]. People with the lowest socioeconomic status are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer than those with the highest socioeconomic status. Additionally, screening rates for Americans 50-75 years old are the lowest in American Indians/Alaska Natives (56%), followed by Asian individuals (58%), Latino/Hispanic individuals (59%), Black individuals (66%) and white individuals (69%).
In addition to Dr. May, the multi-disciplinary team includes Jennifer Haas, MD, MSc, at Massachusetts General Hospital and Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS, at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Los Angeles. Additional team members are from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board, and Fight Colorectal Cancer.
Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States - Here are the top signs and symptoms to look out for
Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director, Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program and assistant professor of medicine and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses in Parade magazine the prevalence of colon cancer in the U.S. and the top signs and symptoms to look out for in colon cancer.
Fola May, MD, PhD, MPhil, 80% Blog Interview with the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT)
On March 1, UCLA Health became the grand prize recipient of the NCCRT 2021 80% in Every Community Awards, a program designed to recognize individuals and organizations who are dedicating their time, talent and expertise to advancing initiatives that support the shared goal of achieving colorectal cancer screening rates of 80 percent and higher. Dr. May, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon GI Quality Improvement Program, was interviewed in a recent on UCLA Health's multifaceted approach to increasing colorectal cancer screenings despite COVID-19.
Exploiting marginalized groups for research
interviewed Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director of the GI Quality Program, member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) and researcher at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research (CPCR), on a study that is sparking outrage over the unusually high number of Black patients it enrolled.
How to nudge people into getting tested for the coronavirus
interviewed Fola May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director of the GI Quality Program, member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) and researcher at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research (CPCR), on the impact of a false negative COVID-19 test in the workplace. Yahoo! News syndicated the New York Times article.
What a delay in colorectal cancer screening can mean and who should be most concerned
interviewed Fola May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director of the GI Quality Program, member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) and researcher at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research (CPCR), on lack of consistent colorectal cancer screenings for lower-income communities and BIPOC communities. syndicated the Good Morning America story.
Radio interview: Pausing the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine
KCBS-AM interviewed Fola May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director of the GI Quality Program, member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) and researcher at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research (CPCR), on pausing the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
From rotten teeth to advanced cancer, patients feel the effects of treatment delays during pandemic
, , , and interviewed Dr. May on the drop in colonoscopy patient visits during the pandemic. and also covered the story.
Radio interview: Vaccine acceptance in BIPOC communities
KCBS-AM interviewed Fola May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director of the GI Quality Program, member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) and researcher at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research (CPCR), on vaccine acceptance in BIPOC communities.
Fola P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, is a founding member of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH)
On February 26, 2021, the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH) was launched. Founded by a group of 11 physician co-founders and board members, ABGH is a non-profit organization created to improve the disproportionately negative digestive health outcomes in Black communities, foster physician networking, develop the next generation of trainees and promote scholarship. For more information about the ABGH mission, its values, and how to get involved and support their efforts, please visit or follow the hashtag #blackingastro.
Let's go there: A conversation about colorectal cancer with Cottonelle®, Deon Cole and BLKHLTH
Cottonelle® Brand hosted a candid round table discussion about colorectal cancer, health inequity, prevention, and stigmas within the Black community. Actor and comedian, Deon Cole led the discussion with health equity researcher at UCLA Health, Dr. Fola May and co-founder and president of , Matthew McCurdy.
Interview with Black News Channel (BNC) Morning Show
Fola May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director of GI quality for the UCLA Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, discusses the importance of colorectal cancer screening, especially for members of the Black community. In this interview with Mike Hill and Sharon Reed of the Black News Channel (BNC) morning show on March 25th, Dr. May explains that colorectal cancer disproportionally affects African Americans, due at least in part to social determinants of health and to differences in health care access and quality. Dr. May and the two hosts also discussed the galvanizing effect that Chadwick Boseman's untimely death due to colorectal cancer was having on the Black community.
ReachMD interview with Dr. Neil Nandi
Racial and ethnic bias prevent patients with colorectal cancer from receiving the highest quality of care. Dr. Neil Nandi is joined by Dr. Fola May, assistant professor of medicine at UCLA, to
Abnormal stool test result? Don't delay your colonoscopy - U.S. News
Getting a colonoscopy as soon as possible after an abnormal stool test could reduce your risk of colon cancer and death from the disease, researchers say. In a new study, investigators analyzed data from more than 200,000 U.S. veterans, aged 50 to 75, who had an abnormal fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or fecal occult blood test (FOBT).
Change requires visibility, action and trust
interviewed Daniel Greenwald, MD, medical oncologist and hematologist at Santa Barbara Cancer Care, and Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, research collaborator at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, on ways to combat health disparities experienced by Black communities.
California's latest COVID vaccine shakeup: Will it improve equity in the Bay area?
The interviewed Fola P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, research collaborator at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, on targeting underserved communities for vaccine distribution in California. syndicated the report.
Fola P. May, MD, PhD, appointed to the expert advisory board of Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Dr. May, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon GI Quality Improvement Program and health services researcher in the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, was recently appointed to the expert advisory board of Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology for a two-year term. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology has been in circulation since 2004 and received a 2019 Impact Factor of 29.848. As a member of the advisory board, Dr. May will serve as a champion for the journal within the medical and scientific communities, provide expert opinions, and contribute journal content ideas.
Fola P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, quoted on concerns over low vaccination rates and disproportionate deaths in black and brown communities
quoted Dr. May, research collaborator at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, in a story about disparities in vaccination rates between whites and BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color) communities. Dr. May spoke about the vaccination disparity between these groups among health care workers. interviewed Dr. May on concerns over low vaccination rates and disproportionate deaths in BIPOC communities. , , and syndicated the NBC News story. Dr. May also commented on the same topic in a story. and syndicated the Scientific American story. also interviewed Dr. May on the concern that patients not connected to a health system may lack the ability to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment.
Colorectal cancer screenings at home – Stool-based tests could increase access to colorectal cancer screening
interviewed Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, research collaborator at the UCLA Center for Cancer Prevention Control Research and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, on the noninvasive options available for colorectal cancer screening.
Fola May, MD, PhD, MPhil, selected Los Angeles' Top Doctors by Los Angeles Business Journal
Each year, Los Angeles Business Journal selects outstanding medical professionals from almost 20 specialties based on their good standing, reputation, thought leadership and success. This year, Dr. May was among the UCLA Health physicians who were honored as being Los Angeles' Top Doctors.