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Blacks Less Likely to Get Colonoscopy
Reported
March 28, 2008
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Even if they have a strong family history of
colon cancer, blacks may not get an important screening for the disease.
Family history increases the risk of colon cancer, especially if several
first-degree relatives have it or if one immediate family member is
diagnosed with the disease before age 60. A new report from Vanderbilt
University analyzed screening behavior in 41,830 adults ages 40 to 79 --
32,265 blacks and 9,565 whites.
Results show 1.7-percent of blacks had either multiple first-degree
relatives with colon cancer or a first-degree relative diagnosed before age
50, compared with 2.7-percent of whites. Of those, 27.3-percent of blacks
and 43.1- percent of whites said they had a colonoscopy within the past five
years, as is recommended. The study also shows blacks were less likely than
whites -- 19.7 percent versus 46.9 percent -- to report if they had
colorectal polyps, precursors to colorectal cancer.
Researchers say the most common reason both blacks and whites with family
histories of colon cancer gave for not having a colonoscopy or flexible
sigmoidoscopy was the lack of a recommendation from their health care
provider. This was more common in black participants.
“In conclusion, in this disadvantaged population, colonoscopy procedures in
individuals with family histories of colon cancer are underused,” write the
authors. “Physicians and other health care providers need to elicit family
history information for all patients and ensure that African Americans with
affected relatives appropriately receive colon cancer screening.”
Most guidelines recommend if you have a family history of colorectal cancer
you should begin getting screened for the disease when you are 40 years old
rather than when you are 50 -- the recommendation for the general
population. A colonoscopy is then recommended every five years.
SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2008;168:625-631 |
