Stand Up To Cancer-Colorectal Cancer Screening

Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), and Exact Sciences have teamed up to launch a PSA campaign to increase awareness around the importance of colorectal cancer screening for early detection and prevention, with a focus to reach underrepresented communities. With routine screening colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. In fact, it’s beatable in 90% of cases when detected early.

In 2020, nearly 148,000 Americans received a new diagnosis of colon or rectal cancer, with Black people having the highest colorectal cancer rates of any ethnic group in the United States and are nearly 20% more likely to get colorectal cancer and 40% more likely to die from it than any other population. Research has shown that colorectal cancer screening rates are the lowest in Hispanic communities, with Black and Hispanic people being typically diagnosed at a later stage in the disease when it is more difficult to treat.

“Cancer affects everyone. I’ve lost good friends - young friends – to this deadly disease,” said Foxx. “We need to make sure that we are taking care of our bodies, paying attention to certain things, that you didn’t necessarily think about when you were younger. Medical issues come up and you may not know what’s at your disposal, so that is why I am proud to shine a light on the importance of getting screened for colon cancer early and bring awareness to the options that are available with this PSA campaign.”

Through the collaboration with Exact Sciences, SU2C is launching a new colorectal cancer ‘Dream Team’ of researchers that will identify communities near anchor institutions serving medically underserved communities. This Dream Team will help pinpoint the unique local needs of those areas and will provide free colorectal cancer testing and study samples collected via approved tests for colorectal cancer, including colonoscopy, CT colonography, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and at-home stool tests that analyze fecal DNA and/or blood. The research will aim to develop better approaches to colorectal cancer interception.

To learn more about screening options, visit StandUpToCancer.org/ColonCancer and follow @SU2C (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) for the latest campaign and collaboration updates.