News 2023
Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, featured in Stand Up to Cancer healty equity research video
Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) is a charitable program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation that brings together celebrities and scientists to raise awareness and funds for groundbreaking cancer research. The 2023 telecast highlighted the importance of research to understand and address cancer care disparities. Dr. May, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; and Robert Winn, MD, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, helped develop and provided narration for a short, animated video explaining the importance of health equity research. The video was introduced by Jimmy Smits, actor and SU2C ambassador. Watch video
Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, named Healio Disruptive Innovator - Health Equity Award
Healio presented their sixth annual Disruptive Innovators Awards at the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Annual Meeting on October 22. The awards recognized individuals who have changed the face of the specialty and pushed the status quo toward betterment of the field. Dr. May, associate professor of medicine, received the Health Equity Award, which recognizes a physician who has brought about meaningful change to overcome the social determinants of health in gastroenterology.
The UCLA Health Johnson Comprehensive Cancer Center colorectal cancer team provides expert, multidisciplinary, patient-centered care
In this video, you'll hear from three of those experts — colorectal surgeon Kevork Kazanjian, MD; director of UCLA Health's Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program, Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil; and radiation oncologist Ann Raldow, MD, PhD.
Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, discusses colorectal cancer prevention at Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus meeting is an annual legislative meeting in Washington D.C. that brings together lawmakers, policy experts, and community leaders to discuss and address critical issues affecting African Americans and marginalized communities. During this gathering, attendees collaborate on legislative solutions and engage in dialogue to promote social and economic equity. Dr. May, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon GI Quality Improvement Program, was a speaker in “A Call to Action: Fighting Colorectal Cancer in the Black Community,” sponsored by Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ) and Congresswomen Nikema Williams (GA).
Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, named Cancer Health 25: Champions of Health Equity
Dr. May, director of the Melvin & Bren GI Quality Improvement Program, was named a Cancer Health 25: Champion of Health Equity. She is one of 25 individuals recognized by Cancer Health magazine for their work to ensure fair opportunities to prevent, treat and survive cancer. Full list of honorees
Dr. Fola May named Rising Star Southern California 2024
Selection of Super Doctors is a rigorous multi-step process designed to identify health care providers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Doctors is a selective yet diverse listing of outstanding doctors, representing consumer-oriented medical specialties. Rising Stars employs the same selection process as Super Doctors, recognizing physicians active and fully licensed to practice for approximately 10 years or fewer.
Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, published in Capitol Weekly Opinion
Long plagued by racism and discrimination, communities of color lag on many health care measures. Eliminating disparities requires increasing access to care and improving outcomes. Unfortunately, some insurance companies are erecting extraordinary barriers that will actually delay necessary treatment for patients — and exacerbate inequities. Dr. May, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon GI Quality Improvement Program, authored Insurer tactics to delay care pushes health equity further away. Read Insurer tactics to delay care pushed health equity further away
How often should you poop? The answer may not be what you think
Everyone poops, but it turns out we don't all need to poop every day. Dr. Folasade P. May, associate professor of medicine, discusses what patterns are right for you, how to have a healthy poop, and what affects our bowel movements, in CNN Health How often should you poop? The answer may not be what you think.
Lisa Marie Presley died of complications from prior weight-loss surgery, autopsy report shows
A report by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner states Lisa Marie Presley's death in January was caused by a “sequelae of a small bowel obstruction.” Dr. Folasade P. May, associate professor of medicine, provided commentary along with Dr. Michael Camilleri at the Mayo Clinic. Read Lisa Marie Presley died of complications from prior weight-loss surgery, autopsy report shows in CNN Entertainment
Offering blood test ups colorectal cancer screening for people who first declined colonoscopy
Offering a blood test to people who have declined both a colonoscopy and a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) increased colorectal cancer (CRC) screening by 7.5% without decreasing use of the preferred first-line options, researchers report. However, the number of people in the study who subsequently underwent timely colonoscopy after a positive blood test did not increase, signaling a continuing challenge in CRC prevention and treatment. Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon GI Quality Improvement Program, provides expert commentary in this Medscape.
Best approach to colorectal cancer screening for young adults: Mail FIT kits
A study of more than 20,000 average-risk adults has shed some light on the best way to offer colorectal cancer screening to 45-to-49-year-olds—an age group that is new to the screening guidelines. The randomized study was a late-breaking abstract at Digestive Disease Week 2023 and evaluated four screening approaches and found that screening completion was highest among adults who were mailed an unsolicited fecal immunochemical test. UCLA GI authors included Artin Galoosian, MD, MA, former GI quality scholar; Sadie De Silva, MD, former GI quality scholar; and Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, director of the Bren and Melvin Simon GI Quality Improvement Program. Read the Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News article
Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, receives 2023 Productivity Award
Dr. May, associate professor of medicine, was awarded the Productivity Award during VA Research Week for her more than 30 papers published in one year. The award was presented by Michael Ong, MD, PhD, associate chief of staff for research and development at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
These "GutTok" health trends could actually harm you, according to experts
Social media is awash with dubious medical content, including celebrities and influencers extolling everything from the virtues of parasite cleanses to combat gut exposure to mold to a steady diet of bone broth and intermittent fasting, to taking apple cider vinegar supplements to kickstart your metabolism. A big part of the problem from Dr. May's vantage is that the content that rises to the top is based on algorithms that prioritize outrage, shock and awe. Read Don't let TikTok scare you about your gut health by Scary Mommy. Dr. May is associate professor of medicine.
You need to know these signs of colon cancer in younger adults
Colon cancer is a scourge, and as you know, early detection is a subject very close to Katie's (Katie Couric Media) heart. Increasingly, younger patients are being diagnosed. While some cases can be explained due to genetics and family history, NBC News notes that an incredible 75% of cases of colon cancer in younger people are categorized as having an “unknown cause.” According to Dr. Folasade P. May, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California who spoke to NBC News, this indicates that environmental factors shared by this age group are driving the increase — what's known as the “birth cohort effect.” These could include anything from stress to exposure to pollutants, but the jury's still out on what they are. Read article on Katie Couric Media
'Stunning' change to United's colonoscopy coverage roils physicians and patients
When gastroenterologists learned in March that UnitedHealthcare plans to barricade many colonoscopies behind a controversial and complicated process known as prior authorization, their emotions cycled rapidly between fear, shock, and outrage. The change, which the health insurer will implement on June 1, means that any United member seeking surveillance and diagnostic colonoscopies to detect cancer will first need approval from United — or else have to pay out of pocket. “People with concerning symptoms for cancer, suddenly they may have to wait potentially weeks or months or longer for this to get approved,” said Dr. Folasade P. May, a gastroenterologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “It may not even get approved.” Read full STAT article
Shifting trends in CRC demographics, severity prove you are 'not too young to have cancer'
Despite a decline in the overall incidence of colorectal cancer in the U.S., recent population-based data from the American Cancer Society show an alarming shift to younger age and more advanced disease at diagnosis. While the answer is largely unknown to the question of why trends in incidence rates, disease severity and tumor location have shifted over time, Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, associate professor of medicine and director of the Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program at the University of California, Los Angeles, hypothesized that environmental factors may play the largest role. “We know it is environmental and not genetic because it happened too fast,” she said. “We [the research community] think it is probably a combination of what we are putting in our bodies and potentially the way we live our life in high-income countries. There are also data to support the role of diet, obesity and diabetes as well as environmental toxins and plastics.” Read full Healio article
Cancer patients face grave financial barriers to care: 'There is this dramatic loss of income'
For many cancer patients, access to quality care and education is out of reach. The financial barriers—and fear of seeking help because of them—can keep people away from the care they need. One study found even after treatment, nearly 50% of cancer survivors faced medical debt associated with their care, with the vast majority unsure how they will afford future care. In addition, There is also a need to address psychological barriers delaying screenings and, therefore, cancer treatments owing to stigma. Colon cancer is one prime example, said Dr. Folasade P. May, associate professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Read Fortune Well article
Colorectal cancer screening for 'vulnerable' patients higher in Medicaid expansion states
“Federally qualified health centers are a relatively new place for people to get primary care, since the Affordable Care Act started funding them in 2012,” Megan R. McLeod, MD, MSc, from the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, told Healio. “This is a population that traditionally has been medically underserved, and while the government and other groups monitor different quality measures, patterns in colorectal cancer screening are fairly understudied in this setting.” Read more in Healio
The May Lab was strongly represented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2023
DDW was held May 5-9 in Chicago, IL and the UCLA May Lab represented with 6 abstract lectures, 3 invited talks, and 10 poster presentations. Matthew Zhao (DGSOM MS4) received an AGA Abstract Award for Health Disparities Research. Artin Galoosian, MD, MS, (prior QI fellow; current Loma Linda GI fellow) had the honor of presenting 1 of only 6 abstracts selected out of 145 submitted for the late-breaking abstract session. His abstract titled, Comparison of Four Population Health Interventions to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Young Adults: Results of a Randomized Trial, was well-received and was covered in multiple media outlets. Media also highlighted presentations by Megan McLeod, MD, MSCR, (IM resident). Additional attendees and presenters were Jamie O. Yang, MD, (IM resident), Jessica Tuan, MPH (Center for Health Equity), Camille Soroudi, MD (GI fellow), Yvonne Lei (DGSOM MS4), Olivia Jordan, MD, (IM resident), Shailavi Jain, MD, (IM resident), Sadie De Silva, MD, (QI fellow), and Aileen Bui, MD, (GI fellow). Statistical support was provided by Jayraan Badiee, MPH, and Sitaram Vangala, and the lab would also like to acknowledge collaborators at UCLA Medical Imaging and Informatics, UCLA Population Health, VA Department of Medicine, and the North East Valley Health Corporation. Work presented at the conference is supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Stand up to Cancer, Broad Ablon Scholar Program, and Melvin and Bren Simon. Full abstracts can be found here.
Americans are waiting too late to screen for colorectal cancer
In an interview with The Healthy, Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, said Americans are waiting too late to screen for colorectal cancer – here's when you should start. “The tragic news is that only about one in three cases are caught in the early stage, and it doesn't have to be that way,” says Dr. May, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program. "The screenings are highly accurate—but they can't work if you don't get them.”
Fola May, MD, MPhil, PhD, presents at White House Cancer Moonshot Colorectal Cancer Forum
This Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Fola May, MD, MPhil, PhD, associate professor in the division of digestive diseases and associate director of the UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity joined other national health experts at the White House for the Cancer Moonshot Colorectal Cancer Forum. Dr. May was an invited member for a panel at this event to discuss equitable access to high-quality cancer care and the need to invest in research to enable us to determine how to deliver the best care and perform effective outreach to underserved communities. Dr. May shared with the audience that we cannot find solutions if we do not have the metrics that allow us to ensure that all communities are being accounted for when performing research. She advised that we must continue outreach efforts that promote early screening through patient navigation, and partnerships with community leaders and stakeholders who will help raise awareness. The goal of the forum is to inform national policy on cancer prevention and cancer screening as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot. Watch White House panel
More young people are being diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. Why?
Colorectal cancer rates in younger people have surged in recent years. More troubling, most cases diagnosed are at an advanced stage and researchers aren't sure what's causing the cancers. According to new statistics from the American Cancer Society, the proportion of colorectal cancer that occurred in people under age 55 doubled between 1995 and 2019, from 11% to 20%. That means that, of the roughly 1.3 million people in the U.S. living with colorectal cancer in the United States in 2019, about 273,800 were younger than age 55. “This cancer type is particularly asymptomatic and can remain that way for a long time," said Dr. Folasade P. May, an associate professor of medicine in the University of California, Los Angeles Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases. "So the tumor can grow and grow and even spread before there are symptoms that prompt someone to seek medical attention.” Read NBC News article
UCLA Health promotes colorectal cancer screening at inflatable colon event
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and UCLA Health is pulling out all the stops to convince people to get screened. KCBS/KCAL interviewed Dr. Folasade P. May, at the UCLA Health inflatable colon event to promote screening for colorectal cancer.
At-home stool tests for colorectal cancer screening are rising in popularity, but are they right for you?
At-home stool tests can be an easier way to screen for colorectal cancer than a dreaded colonoscopy. As the rates of the cancer continue to rise in younger people, home tests might help improve detection and get people treated sooner.
March marks the beginning of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed and third most common cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. Diagnosis of the disease is on the rise among younger people under age 55, according to a new study from the ACS, and it's being diagnosed at more advanced stages. Dr. Folasade P. May, 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, was interviewed by ABC News on how to know if this is a good option for you.
Establishing and implementing comprehensive at-home stool-based colorectal cancer screenings in medically underserved communities around the country, including Los Angeles
Dr. Folasade P. May is an associate professor of medicine and a researcher in the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. May is also a co-leader of Stand Up To Cancer's Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team, which is establishing and implementing comprehensive at-home stool-based colorectal cancer screenings in medically underserved communities around the country, including Los Angeles. Listen to KOST 103.5FM podcast and read interview
UCLA Health walks community through risks, symptoms of colorectal cancer
UCLA Health assembled a giant inflatable colon March 3 to engage and inform patients, Bruins and the local Westwood community on colon cancer in recognition of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Read more in the Daily Bruin
The wild world inside your gut
Dr. May, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon GI Quality Improvement Program, was interviewed for a New York Times article — The Wild World Inside Your Gut — in which gastrointestinal health experts answered common question about GI health. Dr. May commented on dietary and colonoscopy recommendations and on when GI symptoms or abnormal bowel movements indicate that you should seek medical help.