May Lab

Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Control

Two fellows in front of poster for Colon Cancer Prevention
Fellows in front of DDW Sign

Colorectal cancer is the third-most common malignancy in the United States and the second-leading cause of cancer-related mortality.

Although screening is universally recommended in the United States, screening rates are low nationally and among racial and ethnic minorities.

The May Laboratory works with collaborators in public health, informatics, general internal medicine, and biostatistics to design and implement interventions to increase uptake of colorectal cancer screening and to improve completion of diagnostic follow-up when screening is abnormal.
 
Research in this area also includes analyses utilizing publicly available national- and state-level databases to evaluate screening rates and cancer outcomes.

The portfolio of work encompass both health disparities research and health systems quality improvement research, but goes beyond.

Collaborations

  • Roshan Bastani, PhD, Professor, Health Policy and Management
  • Beth Glenn, PhD, Associate Professor, Health Policy and Management
  • Allison Hermann, PhD, Associate Director, Center for Health Equity, Health Equity

Grants

  1. NIH/NCI R01: Multilevel health system intervention to increase surveillance colonoscopy for high-risk colorectal polyps (PI)
  2. Veterans Health Administration; Merit Award: Surveillance Colonoscopy in Older Adults: The SurvOlderAdults Study (Co-PI with Samir Gupta, UCSD)
  3. NIH/NRG FORTE Study: Five or Ten Year Colonoscopy for 1-2 Non-Advanced Adenomatous Polyps (Site PI)
  4. Stand Up to Cancer Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team: Community Collaboration to Advance Racial/Ethnic Equity in CRC Screening (CARES) (Co-PI with Jennifer Haas, MGH)
  5. Exact Sciences; “A Longitudinal Study of CologuardTM in an Average Risk Population Assessing a Three Year Test Interval” (site PI)
  6. UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation Seed Grant; “A Community-Academic Partnership to Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening in South Los Angeles” (PI)
  7. Charles Drew University-UCLA Cancer Center Partnership to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities Seed Grant; “A Community Partnership to Improve Follow-up After Positive Colorectal Cancer Screening” (PI)
  8. National Cancer Institute: “Follow-up of Abnormal Findings on Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Federally Qualified Health Center: The Role of System-Level Clinical Care Processes"

Publications - Full List of May Lab Publications Here