The Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS) Program

Colorectal cancer, a cancer that affects a person’s colon or rectum, is the second leading cause of cancer mortality for men and women combined in the United States. However, colorectal cancer is largely preventable through screening and the removal of polyps. Unfortunately, only 7-out-of-10 people in the United States are up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening, and this number is lower for people from racial and ethnic minority groups, people with lower incomes, and people who are medically underserved.

The Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening and Follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS) Program, funded by the National Cancer Institute and a Beau Biden Cancer MoonshotSM Initiative, supports research to build the evidence base on multilevel interventions to increase rates of colorectal cancer screening, follow-up, and referral to care. Eight ACCSIS Research Projects, the majority of which coordinated with universities, implemented multilevel interventions with their partner organizations to increase colorectal cancer screening and follow-up, as well as developed implementation science-based guidance for scaling up these multilevel interventions to reduce the burden of colorectal cancer. 

As the ACCSIS Coordinating Center, RTI International uses its vast experience in working with government agencies, state programs and federally qualified health centers to support the organizational, administrative, and scientific activities necessary for the ACCSIS Program to function efficiently. In addition, RTI International coordinates the scientific ACCSIS trans-program activities to ensure shared learnings are optimized.