African Americans have a greater risk of getting and dying from colon cancer
He was a superhero on the screen, but colon cancer took the life of actor Chadwick Boseman last week at the age of 43.
Colorectal cancer is no longer an old person’s disease.
African Americans are at greater risk of getting colon cancer and dying from it than any other ethnic group, according to the American Cancer Society.
“There appears to be a combination of a genetic component and an environmental component that makes African Americans more prone to it, and then when they do get it, they tend to get it at a younger age and in a more advanced form and less survivable,” said Dr. John Griffin, a colon cancer surgeon at Swedish Hospital.
Colorectal cancer has a 90 percent survival rate when caught early, Dr. Griffin told me. That’s why it’s important to know the warning signs:
Any major change in bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation
A change in the consistency of your stool
Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool
Unintentional weight loss
Persistent abdominal discomfort
For those at normal risk, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a colonoscopy at age 45.
If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, or if there are symptoms that you’re concerned about, talk to your doctor about the possibility of having it done at an earlier age – and whether insurance will cover it.