The co-leaders of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at the University of Illinois Cancer Center, Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, PhD, MS, RD, and Sage Kim, PhD, are authors of the invited commentary, “Socioenvironmental Stressors, Gut Microbes, and Colorectal Cancer Inequities: A Chicago Perspective,” published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the article sets the scene for readers about Chicago, one of the most diverse yet segregated cities in America where Black adults living in Cook County, which includes Chicago, are disproportionately affected by colorectal cancer (CRC).
Tussing-Humphreys and Kim, both Cancer Center members, along with fellow author Patricia G. Wolf, PhD, RD, of Purdue University in Indiana, highlight “how socioenvironmental stressors including community violence, economic and physical deterrents to high-quality foods, and limited access to safe public spaces to support physical activity may contribute to gut microbial dysfunction and exacerbate colorectal cancer health inequities.”
Several ongoing Chicago-led community efforts to reduce violence, mitigate food insecurity, and increase opportunities for physical activity are highlighted in the article.