Racial Disparity in Colon Cancer Cases

Colon cancer kills over 50,000 Americans every year, but with the advent of Virtual Colonoscopies – such preventative measures have begun to dwindle the number of deaths per-year by catching colon polyps at earlier stages. However, the number of African-Americans with polyps and colon cancer is not only higher than that of whites, but the size and location of polyps vary as well. The New York Times released data from a recent survey by the American Medical Association said such disparities are a result of,

"… genetic differences that account for about a third of all cases of the disease. But blacks also have poorer access to health care and lower rates of participation when screening is offered."

While the numbers are plummeting for the upper-echelon of white America, colon cancer cases have progressively increased for black men and remained the same for black women. Similarly, radiologists and oncologists have found the prevalence of large polyps among back women to be occurring at an ever-increasing younger age. Doctors recommend colonoscopy screenings starting at age 50, however with such alarming findings the age recommendation for African-American women may be decreased in the near future.

The vast majority of the tumors and polyps (benign or cancerous) in blacks were found in the upper-regions of the colon and noticeably larger in size. Whereas those seen in whites were in the smaller sized and located in the lower regions, which are more easily detected in the scans. Another possible reason why the cancer rates run ramped in the black population.

Regardless of such racial disparities in the number of cases, the fundamental factor in preventing colon cancer is early detection via virtual or regular invasive colonoscopies. If you are looking to get a virtual scan or learn more about them click here to find a physician or clinic near your area.

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