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What African-Americans Need to Know
The rate of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer is higher among African Americans than among any other population group in the United States.
Death rates from colorectal cancer are higher among African Americans than any other population group in the United States.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among African Americans; an estimated 14,100 cases were expected to occur among this population in 2005. Of these, an estimated 6,800 deaths occurred.
There is evidence that African Americans are less likely than Caucasians to have screening tests for colorectal cancer.
African Americans are less likely than Caucasians to have colorectal polyps detected when they can easily be removed. Polyps are grape-like growths on the lining of the colon or rectum that may become cancer, but can be removed to prevent cancer from ever occurring.
African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in advanced stages when there are fewer treatment options available. They are less likely to live five or more years after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer than other populations.
Diet, tobacco use and a lack of access to equal medical treatment options may increase African Americans' risk of developing colon cancer.
There may also be genetic factors that contribute to the higher incidence of colorectal cancer among some African Americans. Understanding a family's medical history is important. All men and women should tell their health care professional if a relative - parent, brother, sister or child - has had colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps.
African American women have the same chance of getting colorectal cancer as men, and are more likely to die of colorectal cancer than are women of any other population group.
African American patients experience a larger number of polyps on the right side of the colon, versus the left. A sigmoidoscopy (one screening test for colorectal cancer) can see only the left side of the colon; colonoscopy (another colorectal cancer screening test) can see the entire colon.
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