On the heels of the premiere of its first-ever Spanish-language Cologuard campaign, Exact Sciences is doubling down on its push to raise awareness of colorectal cancer and available screening options among the Hispanic community.
To do so, the testmaker has enlisted actor Carlos Ponce for the cause. Ponce, who hails from Puerto Rico, has starred in telenovelas like “Santa Diabla” and “Perro Amor,” among many others, as well as English-language films and TV shows including “Spy,” “Couples Retreat” and “7th Heaven.”
According to Exact’s announcement this week, the partnership with Ponce will include personal stories related to colon cancer and educational content in both English and Spanish about the importance of regular screening, including with Exact’s own Cologuard at-home test.
“As Latinos, sometimes we don’t like to talk about health topics—partially because we want to be strong, proud, and not worry or burden our families—and I think this is particularly the case for us as Latino men,” Ponce said in the announcement.
“I’ve learned over the past few years that it’s our responsibility to talk about health issues with our loved ones,” he continued. “Knowledge is power, and knowing about available testing options for colon cancer is one of the best ways to make sure we’re present in our families’ lives—now and in the future.”
Exact’s ramped-up focus on raising awareness and improving education around colon cancer specifically among the Hispanic community is spurred by lagging testing rates in the group. According to data cited by the company, colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic men and women, but only 49% of eligible Hispanic adults undergo their regular recommended screenings, compared to about 70% among the overall population.
As in the total population, screening rates among Hispanic adults aged 45 to 49 are even lower than the larger group of all adults aged 45 and up; current guidelines recommend that anyone with an average risk of developing colon cancer begins undergoing regular testing at age 45.
“The most concerning fact about colorectal cancer in the Hispanic community is the increase in cases among people under 50 years of age; the Hispanic community has a higher percentage of cases among this younger population than non-Hispanic whites,” Xavier Llor, M.D., Ph.D., gastroenterologist and specialist at Yale Medicine, said in Monday’s announcement. “While preventable, colorectal cancer remains one of the least prevented forms of cancer. Early screening and prevention efforts are crucial and have the potential to impact outcomes.”
Exact said its partnership with Ponce will “complement” its recently launched Spanish-language campaign for the Cologuard test. That initiative, which began amid September’s National Hispanic Heritage Month, comprises targeted TV commercials, radio ads and digital and social media assets plus a Spanish-language version of the test’s website and additional resources for Spanish-speaking patients and doctors.