As one of the leading causes of death in Colorado, with 8,400 Coloradans killed in 2023, it is an area focus for ColoradoSPH and an area of passion for Dean Cathy Bradley. Bradley, PhD, who is the deputy director of the CU Cancer Center, has spent her career researching cancer. Her research particularly focuses around the cost of cancer treatment, with and without insurance, Medicare, and balancing working with treatment.
In the school’s recent annual report, we discussed the work and leadership of the Cancer Center. Read more below.
Colorado Faces Rising Cancer Toll: Public Health Experts Lead Efforts to Combat State’s Leading Cause of Death
In 2023, cancer killed 8,400 Coloradoans, making it the leading cause of death in the state. That number is expected to rise in 2024-2025. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 29,430 new cancer cases in the state by year’s end, compared with 28,920 the year before.
A disease that disrupts lives by transforming the body’s cells and taking dozens of forms presents a formidable challenge for the health care system. In response, the ColoradoSPH and University of Colorado Cancer Center take action to fight cancer on a variety of fronts and with highly skilled leaders.
“I am proud of all the work we do in preventing the effects of one of the highest causes of death and one of the most expensive and debilitating diseases to treat,” said Dr. Cathy Bradley, PhD, dean of ColoradoSPH and a deputy director of the Cancer Center. “We have made substantial progress in preventing [cancer] or preventing its long-term effects.”
Bradley is one of five ColoradoSPH faculty who hold endowed Cancer Center chairs and have a range of expertise.
Other experts include:
Dr. Linda Cook, PhD, associate director, population sciences. Dr. Cook has expertise in cancer prevention and control, as well as research in ovarian, endometrial, and breast cancer.
Dr. Evelinn Borrayo, PhD, associate director, community outreach and engagement. Dr. Borrayo focuses her research on reducing disparities in cancer treatment among medically underserved Latinos.
Dr. Miria Kano, PhD, associate director, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA). Dr. Kano centers her work on increasing DEIA at the Cancer Center. A key goal is to increase diversity of patients recruited for clinical trials.
Dr. Debashis Ghosh, PhD, MS, biostatistics methods. Dr. Ghosh is a faculty member in the Department of Biostatistics & Informatics. He has worked to develop statistical methods used in cancer research and genetics.
“These [chairs] are all individuals we targeted who have a strong public health background,” Bradley said. “We wanted to get the best people in the country to partner with the Cancer Center and tackle the problems that are most relevant to our state and region.”
Bradley herself has studied and written extensively about the challenges cancer places on people who work. She recently co-authored a paper that detailed the financial burdens these patients face. In addition, she is working with Dr. Lee Newman, MD, MA, director of ColoradoSPH’s Centers for Health, Work and Environment, on the Well-Being and Cancer at Work (WeCanWork) program. WeCanWork
helps cancer providers link their patients to occupational medicine specialists. The goal: find ways for
patients to maintain their employment while they go through cancer treatment.
Bradley’s work focuses on making changes in care delivery to benefit cancer patients, but the ColoradoSPH/Cancer Center collaboration spans other areas, including prevention, screening, and policy changes.
"So much of public health is addressing health inequities. It is to be done from many different angles — prevention, screening, policy, treatment, and understanding the downstream effects of disease — to reduce the burden of cancer," said Cathy Bradley.
A small sample of the initiatives includes:
A study led by Borrayo to investigate the possible benefits of coordinated care for patients in underserved rural areas of the state.
Bipartisan legislation to provide Medicaid reimbursement for community health workers, who are key to guiding patients to preventive colorectal cancer screenings. Andrea (Andi) Dwyer, director of the Colorado Cancer Screening Program, played a major role in driving the legislation.
Tailored exercise programs for cancer survivors that aim to positively impact their quality of life and prevent recurrence of disease.
For example, Dr. Heather Leach, PhD, at CSU and medical oncologist Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD, of the Cancer Center, are collaborating on a study of the possible positive effects of exercise for survivors of colorectal cancer.
These and other efforts at ColoradoSPH and the Cancer Center have helped to reduce cancer mortality in Colorado and around the country, Bradley says. But there is still much work to be done, she added.
“Not all populations have benefited,” she stressed.
