Researchers are now saying that deaths caused directly from colon cancer are on a steep decline all throughout the country except in three key areas: Western Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta, and the border between Virginia and North Carolina. According to the American Cancer Society, a few of the similarities that these regions share are also the reason why this cancer hasn’t declined there. They all have high obesity rates, low education standards, and a general lack of access to medical care due to unemployment.
Colon Cancer Shouldn’t Cause This Much of a Problem
In the recent years of scientific and technological advancement, especially for healthcare, colon cancer has become one of the most preventable cancers. With regular colonoscopies, it is easy for a doctor to find and subsequently remove the pre-cancerous growths long before they become malignant. If the growth does advance, however, these procedures will still help find the tumor so that it can be removed. Surgery along with several types of effective chemotherapy drugs will effectively get rid of/control the cancer.
How bad are these areas affected?
According to Rebecca Siegel of the American Cancer Society, the death rates from colon cancer among black men in the Mississippi Delta “are not declining at all.” This can be largely attributed to the common diet in this area.
Diets that include large amounts of fat, sugar, and red meat with little fiber can contribute to getting colon cancer. Instead of the death rate lowering, from 1970-2011, the death rate from colon cancer has actually increased by 40% in these three areas. Rebecca Siegel and her team used advanced computing software to come to this conclusion, and it deeply disturbs her.
The Positive News
One positive thought that can be gained from this is now that the groups who are most at risk are identified, more efforts can be put forth to raise awareness of the disease so that, hopefully, the rate of deaths will drastically decrease. Researchers believe that due to the culture in these areas, encouraging people to talk to their neighbors about this subject will be highly effective.
