Boseman’s death has reignited discussions about rising cases of colorectal cancer in young adults

Many of us are still mourning the loss of actor Chadwick Boseman, who lost his battle with colon cancer in August 2020, at age 43. His untimely death has reignited discussions about the rising cases of colorectal cancer in young adults, particularly among the Black and African American community.

“Black and African American men and women have the highest incidence rates among any other ethnic group in the U.S. “We do not fully understand what drives this trend, but it is probably a combination of hereditary and environmental factors,” said Tomislav Dragovich, MD, a gastrointestinal medical oncologist with Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Arizona.

See “Get Screened: Blacks and African Americans at Greater Risk for Colorectal Cancer” on the Banner Health website (September 12, 2020)