…it’s highly preventable. BlackDoctor.org spoke with several medical professionals to see what can be done to lower the risk of colon cancer.
Dr. Strick Woods, a gastroenterologist based in Bridgeport, CT, says that screening is the first step towards Black men lowering their risk. The American College of Gastroenterologists recommends Black men be screened starting at age 45 – five years earlier than whites. The reason? Colon cancer is often diagnosed in African Americans at a younger age. Dr. Woods says the current compliance rate for colonoscopies is at a mere 38 percent. African American have a notably low screening rate which puts us at adverse risk of developing colon cancer.
