This past June, the American Cancer Society National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (ACS NCCRT) hosted a Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Cross-Continuum Strategy Summit and Steering Committee Retreat comprised of national experts and roundtable leadership. The purpose of these meetings was to engage in dialogue around understanding and characterizing CRC-related mortality and aligning disparities. We wanted to know why they persist, the potential contributors to cancer outcome disparities, and explore our role as an organization of national leaders to address these ongoing issues.  

Guest speakers, including Drs. Uri Ladabaum, Daniel Boffa, and Robert Smith, presented on CRC-related mortality and treatment, the attributable contribution of screening to reducing mortality, and what is known about disparities in cancer outcomes due to treatment-related variables. Strategy summit participants developed recommendations for the Roundtable to then be vetted and refined by the ACS NCCRT Steering Committee.  

As the longest active ACS national roundtable, it’s crucial that the ACS NCCRT understands the needs of our constituents and periodically reassess our national priorities. We believe aligning our work around our three current priority areas, while looking for additional ways to make an impact across the CRC continuum, will position us to have a significant impact on improving outcomes and reducing deaths related to CRC.  

In the months ahead, the ACS NCCRT staff and volunteer leaders will look to our dedicated members to help us further define our areas of focus. If you are joining us at the ACS NCCRT Annual Meeting this year, be sure to attend Dr. Steven Itzkowitz’s keynote address on Thursday, November 21st, where he will share more about the critical need to address disparities, strategize around reducing colorectal cancer mortality, and our planned path forward as ACS NCCRT Chair. Learn more about the annual meeting and view the working agenda.  

A special thank you to our dedicated ACS NCCRT Chairs, Steering Committee, Strategy Summit attendees, and ACS Leadership for their guidance and support. We look forward to hearing your feedback as we further plan for the future of the ACS NCCRT.