—Vanessa Edwards, B1Daily

Colorectal cancer does not always produce symptoms during its early stages. That makes screening particularly important because doctors can sometimes find and remove precancerous polyps before they become cancer.

For Black Americans, the stakes are significant. The CDC reports that Black Americans have higher rates of developing and dying from many cancers and are more likely than white Americans to have colorectal cancer diagnosed at a late stage. A 2025 scientific review also found persistent Black-white disparities in colorectal cancer incidence, mortality and survival.

The good news is that screening works. The CDC recommends that most adults begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45, and several screening methods are available, including some tests that can be performed at home.

Interestingly, the latest CDC screening data do not support the assumption that Black Americans universally screen less often. Among adults ages 50 to 75 in the CDC’s 2020 data, 75% of Black adults were up to date, slightly higher than the 74% reported for white adults. That makes continued screening and timely follow-up even more important when examining why unequal cancer outcomes persist.

A colon cancer screening may be uncomfortable to think about.

Finding cancer after it has already spread is considerably worse.

—Vanessa Edwards, B1Daily