Annual Illinois Colorectal Roundtable Meeting

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Illinois, and the incidence of breast, cervical, lung, and colorectal cancers are higher than the national average. Moreover, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and the incidence of CRC in Illinois is higher than the national average. Significant disparities exist for all cancers by race/ethnicity, access to services, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. This activity will convene stakeholders throughout the state to educate, discuss, and provide strategies to improve cancer screening rates in Illinois.

After this activity, participants will be able to:

• State the role of the colorectal cancer (CRC) roundtable within the context of the Illinois Cancer Plan;
• Define individual responsibility to meet the objectives of the Illinois Cancer Plan;
• Recall the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CRC screening rates;
• Describe recent trends, both nationally and locally, for CRC screening;
• Recognize organizational responsibility in reducing the state-level CRC burden;
• Identify newer tests for CRC screening and their implications;
• Relate the importance of family history and early age onset CRC;
• Express how health plans are improving colorectal screening rates;
• List implementation and outreach strategies for both rural and urban communities;
• Illustrate how to apply targeted outreach and media campaigns such as ethnic media and novel screening methods;
• Discuss strategies for implementing evidence-based interventions in a clinical setting;
• Locate survivorship in the cancer screening continuum;
• Outline persistent challenges in CRC screening completion;
• Name health system barriers to CRC screening, especially for uninsured patients;
• Explain solutions to increase CRC screening to eliminate disparities in CRC screening.