Message from the Health and Wellness Committee

Greetings Brothers,

Many of us were excited about Marvel’s release of its movie Black Panther in 2018. It afforded us the opportunity to witness on the big screen a black, an African American, superhero. We were enthralled by the intellectual prowess, the socio-economic strength, technological advances, and black pride of the Wakanda nation. It seemed that those characters could overcome all adversities and odds.

However, last August we were shocked to learn of the passing of Black Panther star, Chadwick Boseman, at the young age of 43, from complications related to advanced colon cancer. A few months later, December 2020, 53 years old actress, Natalie Desselle-Reid, also succumbed to complications of colon cancer. For those familiar with the Today Show on NBC, leading morning anchor and co-host Craig Melvin, shared the cancer journey of his brother, Lawrence Meadows. Mr. Meadows, a devoted family man, husband, father, son, brother, preacher, and entrepreneur, died at 43 years. He was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer, stage IV, at the age of 39.

March is designated as colorectal cancer awareness month. Sometimes colorectal cancer is simply referred to as colon cancer. This cancer affects the colon (the large intestine) and/or the rectum (the terminal portion of the large intestine). Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States.

Per the American Cancer Society, the rate of people being diagnosed with colon cancer has been declining each year since the mid-1980s. This decline has been most evident in older individuals with success being attributed to colon cancer screening and lifestyle modifications to reduce risk.

There has been, however, an unexpected increased incidence in colon cancer among younger adults. It is noted that from 2012 to 2016, colon cancer has experienced an upward trend of 2% per annum in people younger than 50 years and by 1% in people between the ages of 50-64 years. It is estimated that the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is approximately 4.3% for men (1 in 23 men) and 4.0% in women (1 in 25 women). In this same time period, African-American men were 1.2 times more likely than white men, to have new cases of colon cancer.

The American Cancer Society recommendations for

colorectal cancer screening:

1. Begin regular screenings at age 45 years – colonoscopy. 2. Individuals in good health with life expectancy of more than 10 years are advised to continue regular screening through the age 75 years. 3. Individuals between the ages 76-85 years should have screening based on personal preferences, life expectancy, overall health, and prior screening history. 4. For those over the age of 85 years, regular colorectal cancer screening is not recommended.

Risk factors associated with colorectal cancer are:

1. A personal history of colorectal cancer or certain types of colon polyps. 2. A family history of colorectal cancer. 3. A personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. 4. Hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes – familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer – HNPCC) 5. History of radiation to the abdomen or pelvis to treat a prior cancer.

For additional information about colon cancer, including types of screening procedures, treatments for colon cancer, go to: https://www.cancer.org/ cancer/colon-rectal-cancer.html.

Brothers, take time to consider colon cancer screening and incorporate this into your health maintenance as early detection can have significant improvement in reducing disease burden and can save your life.

For those Brothers who have gone through the process, relating your experience, if you so choose, with another Brother who may be in doubt, can be the encouraging word that someone else needs to hear. Share your stories and experiences with colorectal cancer screening and/or treatment as word of mouth is a powerful tool.

Wakanda Forever!

Fraternally submitted,

Brother Alvin L. Reaves, III, M.D. Co-Chair Health and Wellness Committee