The behavioral scientist and cancer disparities researcher opens up about personal loss, racial screening gaps, and why colorectal cancer is now the leading cancer killer under 50.
Dr. Charles R. Rogers did not arrive at this work through a textbook. He arrived through loss. As a nationally recognized behavioral scientist and cancer disparities researcher, he is the founder of the Colorectal Cancer Equity Foundation, with research published in The Lancet Oncology and JAMA Health Forum. He sat down with Rolling Out Health IQ to talk about what it will take to close the gap.
You founded the CRC Equity Foundation and you do this work personally as well as professionally. What experience first pushed you toward this mission?
This work became very personal for me when my Aunt Joanne was misdiagnosed multiple times and later diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. With stage 4, she had less than a 10% chance of surviving, where if it had been caught earlier, she had more than a 90% chance of living. Watching that unfold showed me how silence, delayed care, and system gaps can literally cost lives, because we ultimately lost about nine years fighting that battle. That experience shifted cancer disparities from something I studied to something I actually live every day.
Tell us about colorectal cancer, because every day we hear more about different cancers and it can be scary and confusing
The best thing to know is that if you have a colon, you can get colon cancer. It has historically been framed as an older white man’s disease, but it does not get famous until someone famous passes away. It is a major issue among young adults and has been rising about 2 to 3% every year since the mid-1990s.
As of 2026, colorectal cancer, also known as CRC, among people younger than 50 is the leading cancer killer for both males and females under 50. We are still learning all the causes, but we know it is a mix of lifestyle, environment, and delayed screening, combined with the fact that many younger adults simply do not think they are at risk.
When we say colorectal cancer disparities, what does that actually look like on the ground for Black communities and other underserved populations?
For Black communities, that looks like having a 20% higher chance of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer than a white man, and a 40% higher chance of dying from it. Those numbers are similar for Black women as well. In general, disparities look like later diagnoses, fewer screenings, and more people dying from a cancer that is often preventable, treatable, and beatable with early screening.
Your research looks at why people do or do not get screened. What are the biggest CRC barriers you keep running into?
Masculinity is a huge barrier, particularly among men. Other barriers include fear, misinformation, access, and silence within families and communities. A collaborator of mine, Candace Henley out of Chicago, says that family secrets kill generations. If I have colorectal cancer and I do not tell my daughter, I am doing her a disservice, because with a family history, she has a higher chance of getting it and dying from it.
Because of my own family history with my aunt, I was screened at age 42, despite the recommended screening age being 45. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you should get screened 10 years before the age at which your family member was diagnosed. People are not avoiding screening because they do not care. Fear and stigma are major factors that are not being discussed enough.
What would you say to someone who keeps putting off getting screened?
Screening is not just detection, it is actually prevention. A few minutes of discomfort could literally save your life or allow doctors to stop colorectal cancer before it even starts.
What is the finding from your research that you wish everyone could hear?
One of the most important findings is that many people who develop CRC actually had opportunities for prevention, but those opportunities were missed. This is one of the few cancers we can often stop before it starts. A colonoscopy looks for polyps and can actually remove them before they turn into cancer, which is very unique compared to other cancers.
How does distrust in the healthcare system develop, and how do we begin to fix it?
Distrust develops from real experiences. When people feel dismissed, unheard, or treated unequally, distrust develops. We can rebuild trust by actually listening, showing up consistently, and making care more respectful, transparent, and community-centered. I will also add that there are several prep options for colonoscopies that make the process easier than people expect. Some people think they have to drink gallons of liquid, but there are pill options and lower-volume alternatives. There are also stool-based exams that are less invasive, can be done in the privacy of your own home, and are substantially cheaper than a colonoscopy. The best screen is the one that gets done.
What does early detection actually mean in terms of survival odds, and at what age should people start paying attention?
Early detection means finding colorectal cancer when it is most treatable, or preventing it entirely by removing polyps. We like to say that 45 is the new 50. The recommended screening age was lowered to 45 in 2021, and most adults at average risk should start there. If you have a family history, start 10 years before the age at which your family member was diagnosed.
You work with institutions to turn research into real community impact. What does that look like practically, and where are institutions still falling short?
That means taking what we know from research and making it real through community partnerships. I have worked with barbershops, faith-based institutions, and community events. That is how we turn research into impact. Better messaging is also needed, along with systems that help people follow through. Where institutions fall short is in designing solutions without the communities they are trying to reach. In all of my work, communities are always at the table, not on the table, and they are paid consultants on the projects I employ.
For a family that just lost someone to CRC or has a loved one recently diagnosed, what is the most important thing you want them to know?
You are not alone, and this is not a fight you have to face without support. Prevention, early detection, and informed care can change outcomes, and your story still has the power to protect others. Do not be ashamed to share what you are going through, because it could save someone else’s life.
How can people learn more and better protect themselves from CRC?
You can learn more at CRCEquity.org, which is the homepage of the Colorectal Cancer Equity Foundation. Beyond that, the most powerful thing we can do is make this conversation common. Colorectal cancer becomes famous only when someone famous passes away. We heard about it when James Van Der Beek passed away, and in 2020 when we lost Chadwick Boseman. This should be a conversation Black communities have all the time, especially given how fast CRC is rising among younger people.
We should be aware of the symptoms. If someone is not having bowel movements for several days, if the stool is pencil-shaped, if there is blood in the stool, or if someone feels persistently bloated, those are all potential symptoms of CRC. Making this a common kitchen table conversation that we are not uncomfortable having at family reunions is how we can make a real impact and ultimately save ourselves.