The colon cancer threat

The recent death of Chadwick Boseman was shocking to most of his fans, mostly because the actor had not publicly disclosed his illness. But his death was also shocking because the “Black Panther” star was young and vital and not at all like many of us imagine colon cancer patients to be.

And yet, Mr. Boseman was part of a concerning upward trend in cancer rates, particularly among relatively young people. In fact, colorectal cancer accounts for more than 10% of cancer cases for people younger than 50. It’s also the second- most- common cause of cancer deaths for men and women combined.

Worse than that, colorectal cancer cases among people younger than 50 are on the rise, climbing about 2% per year in recent years, according to the American Cancer Society.

The reason for the rising rates may be because risk factors such as obesity, diabetes and smoking also are on the rise. A misunderstanding of the dangers of this cancer may also be to blame, experts believe.

The symptoms of colon cancer can be subtle or seem not too serious. Many people who experience changing bowel habits, bloating, or weakness and fatigue either don’t understand that they may be warning signs of cancer, or they are reluctant to seek help because of squeamishness about digestive issues.

Sadly, it is more likely for colorectal cancer cases to be caught early in older patients than in those younger than 50 — reducing their chances of survival.

Also unfortunately, colorectal cancer rates among Black Americans are about 20% higher than among non- Hispanic white people and 50% higher than the rate for Asian Americans.

Mr. Boseman’s death is a reminder that we need to do better. We must work to eliminate the racial disparities in health care. We must do a better job with public education about the early signs of all types of cancer.

Also, we need to take better care of ourselves and seek out the screenings that can catch cancer early and improve chances of surviving it. Screening colonoscopies should begin at age 45 for most of us, and even earlier for people with a family history that puts them at increased risk, according to the American Cancer Society.

The tragic loss of a young father and husband who died in his prime should prompt us all to commit to get the screenings that can save our lives. This is particularly important now as the coronavirus pandemic has apparently caused many Americans to postpone routine screenings for colorectal cancer, cervical cancer and others. Doctors have urged patients to reschedule those important tests and patients should do so.

Mr. Boseman’s death was a great loss to his family and his fans. We can honor his memory by redoubling our efforts to fight the cancer that took him too soon.