Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Louisiana, which has a rate almost 50 percent higher than the national average.  It is recommended that adults 45 and older undergo regular colorectal screenings.  If caught early, it is highly treatable.

Thanks to increased awareness in our state, more Louisianans are getting screened for colon cancer. Seven out of 10 people aged 45 and older were up to date with colorectal cancer screenings in 2022, according to the Louisiana Tumor Registry at LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health.

The Louisiana Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (LCCRT) has been instrumental in supporting providers and health centers that provide free to low-cost colorectal cancer screenings in Louisiana.  It’s working—the organization has helped increase the state’s colorectal cancer screening rate from 2.9 to 7.3%.

The LCCRT was formed by the American Cancer Society, the Louisiana Cancer Prevention & Control Programs at LSU Health New Orleans, and the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center at LSU Health Shreveport. It includes over 100 members devoted to raising awareness about colorectal cancer screenings.  

“Fortunately, we can screen and treat colorectal cancer using the same method,” said Bilikisu “Reni” Elewonibi, PhD, MPH, Director of Louisiana Cancer Prevention & Control Programs and assistant professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at LSU Health Science Center New Orleans School of Public Health.  “The gold standard for screening is a colonoscopy, and if anything is found, such as precancer cells, it can often be removed during the same procedure. We don't have that for a lot of cancer screening methods, so it's really important to increase awareness of colorectal cancer and screening.”

Members of the public can join the LCCRT to support its work. Click here for more information.

Meanwhile, Louisiana cancer researchers, including many LCRC faculty members, are investigating novel attacks on colorectal cancer.  

Obesity triggers a myriad of health problems for patients, and obese colorectal cancer patients face a number of challenges.  Obesity decreases their life expectancy and poses a higher risk of developing colon cancer that is more aggressive, with a higher risk of recurrence and greater resistance to chemotherapy.

Tulane Cancer Center Member, Cancer Biology Associate Professor, and LCRC Faculty Member Suzana Savkovic PhD, and a team of researchers, which included Krzysztof Moroz, MD, and Erik F. Flemington, PhD, found an abnormality in fat droplets, also known as lipid droplets, in the colon cancer of obese patients that is augmented compared to lean patients.  Lipid droplets fuel the growth of tumor cells and accumulate in obese patients.

Lipid droplets also inhibit tumor suppressor protein called FOXO3, which further facilitates cancer progression.   In a research paper recently published in Gastroenterology, the team found that inhibiting the enzyme responsible for lipid droplets accumulation improves FOXO3 tumor suppressant and attenuates cancer growth. “If we target this mechanism, we hope to very effectively suppress colon cancer growth in obese colon cancer cells,” Dr. Savkovic said.

Obesity and cancer are both complex diseases influenced by multiple interconnected factors, and their coexistence presents an even greater challenge. "It is well established that metabolic disturbances, such as obesity, increase the risk and severity of various cancers. Understanding the biological mechanisms underlying obesity is crucial for reducing cancer risk and improving treatment outcomes," said Maria D. Sanchez-Pino, Assistant Professor, Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center at Louisiana State University – Health Science Center and LCRC faculty member. "Our research focuses specifically on why immune cells—our body's tiny soldiers—struggle to attack cancer cells when they are chronically exposed to dysfunctional metabolism due to obesity."

More specifically, Dr. Sanchez-Pino's lab investigates how excess lipids or fats impact immune function and explores ways to modify these effects by targeting a complex regulatory process known as epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of how environmental factors and behaviors influence gene activity—essentially turning genes "on" or "off"—without altering the DNA sequence itself. "This means that external influences, rather than inherited traits, can reshape DNA function, ultimately affecting how cells and the immune system operate," according to Dr. Sanchez-Pino.

Researchers hope their discoveries will provide a platform for future development of effective treatments for patients with colon cancer. Other Louisiana scientists are working to identify obstacles that stand in the way of colon cancer patients receiving the care they need. Sometimes, it’s a matter of physical distance.

Subhajit Chakrabarty, an associate professor in computer science at LSU Shreveport, collaborated with researchers from Alcorn State to develop a new method to measure the distance that communities must travel to access cancer treatment, including colon cancer therapies.

“But it is not enough to look at aerial distances because there may not be roads. So we need real distances by driving, not just aerial distances,” Dr. Chakrabarty explained.  “And then we looked at the hospitals - do the hospitals have the necessary facilities? How many beds, oncologists, etc., do they have?”

His analysis identified particular needs in the region near Lake Charles in southwest Louisiana, Alexandria in central Louisiana, and Monroe, located in north Louisiana.  Dr. Chakrabarty’s team received a grant from the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity Program, which is part of the National Institutes of Health.  While the focus of their research is Louisiana, the science can be applied throughout the  United States. You can read more about his research here.

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