Advancing What’s Possible in Colorectal Cancer Prevention

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Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet many are diagnosed at later stages, when treatment is more complex and outcomes less favorable. California has among the lowest colorectal cancer screening rates nationally. At Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego, the past year marked meaningful progress in expanding early detection through innovative research, implementation studies and community partnerships, advancing colorectal cancer prevention across San Diego and beyond.

Central to this work is the collaboration between Elena Martínez, PhD, associate director of population science at Moores Cancer Center and professor in the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, and Samir Gupta, MD, professor of medicine and co-lead of the Cancer Control Program at Moores Cancer Center. Together, they lead a comprehensive research program focused on increasing screening access and improving early detection strategies.

One powerful example comes from a study led by Scott Roesch, PhD, professor of psychology at San Diego State University. In this Cancer study, more than 26,000 patients served by Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) systems, overdue for colorectal screening, were sent a noninvasive at-home fecal immunochemical test. Screening completion increased by 11.5 percentage points, helping more people catch cancer early, when it's most treatable.

Moores Cancer Center is also advancing research on blood-based cell-free DNA tests for colorectal cancer screening. Shield^®, the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved blood-based screening test, detects approximately 8 out of 10 diagnosed individuals and identifies approximately 9 out of 10 individuals who are misdiagnosed, offering an important option for those unable or unlikely to complete stool-based screening or colonoscopy.

To explore how blood-based screening is received in routine clinical care, Gupta and colleagues are leading a study in partnership with FQHCs, examining screening rates when individuals are offered traditional screening methods compared to on-site blood-based testing.

For over a decade, Moores Cancer Center has co-convened an annual colorectal cancer screening roundtable with community health centers, the California Colorectal Cancer Coalition (C4), the American Cancer Society and Health Center Partners of Southern California. These partnerships are reinforced through the Moores Cancer Center Community Advisory Board, which includes representatives from C4, ensuring community perspectives directly inform research and outreach. The Moores Community Outreach and Engagement team, led by Associate Director Jesse Nodora, DrPH, extends this work into neighborhoods across San Diego by providing colorectal screening navigation assistance and supporting education in medically under-resourced communities.

These studies and partnerships highlight the Moores Cancer Center commitment to advancing colorectal cancer prevention through research, collaboration and community-driven solutions. By integrating scientific rigor with community-centered implementation, Moores is advancing prevention strategies that are adaptable, scalable and responsive to diverse populations.

As screening technologies evolve and new evidence emerges, Moores Cancer Center remains focused on generating new knowledge, strengthening community partnerships and ensuring that progress in early detection leads to better care, reducing the burden of cancer in San Diego and beyond.

Read the rest of the Moores Cancer Center FY25 Annual Report here!