The Problem:

Among men and women in the United States, lung cancer (LCa) is the leading most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, while colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer and third leading cause of cancer deaths. LCa and CRC screening rates are not optimal, and there are persistent disparities in screening for these diseases. As a result, minority populations experience substantial disparities in the CRC and LCa burden.

Our Response: The RCaDES Initiative

With the support from the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (EAIN 2471) and Thomas Jefferson University (Jefferson), the Center for Health Decisions (CHD) at Jefferson initiated the Reducing Cancer Disparities by Engaging Stakeholders (RCaDES) Initiative in November, 2015. The RCaDES Initiative seeks to develop a collective impact Learning Community in southeastern Pennsylvania that is dedicated reducing cancer disparities in cancer screening in minority populations. The Learning Community structure includes a Coordinating Team, Steering Committee, and a Patient and Stakeholder Advisory Committee (PASAC) in two health systems (Lehigh Valley Health Network [LVHN] and Delaware Valley Accountable Care Organization [DVACO]). The RCaDES Initiative will focus on colorectal cancer screening and lung cancer screening in years 1 and 2, respectively.

For more information, or to join the RCaDES Initiative Learning Community, please email rcades@jefferson.edu or call 215-503-9458.

RCaDES Learning Community Members at the 1st Annual RCaDES Initiative Conference (from left to right, front to back): Myra Pina, Linda Fleisher, Diane Porter-Hughes, Johnnie Mae Smith, Charlene White, Alicia Rivera, April Reilly, Neil Goldfarb, Suresh Nair, Vic Caraballo, Shirley Beckett, Samira Woods, Carmen Campos, Joy Soleiman, Jenne Johns, Randa Sifri, Melanie Johnson,