Increasing Colorectal Cancer Burden Among Young US Hispanics: Is It Time to Change Current Screening Guidelines?

Excerpt

The disease burden for colorectal cancer (CRC) varies considerably according to race and ethnicity. A variety of factors, including adherence to CRC screening, are thought to contribute to the racial/ethnic differences in CRC incidence and mortality [1]. In the US, African Americans (A–A) have the highest incidence CRC and the lowest survival rates compared with other racial groups; Hispanics are diagnosed at a later stage and have worse survival compared to with non-Hispanic whites (NHW) [2, 3]. Since Hispanics, compared with NHW and A–A have lower CRC screening rates, they are less likely to be diagnosed at early stages, reducing survival rates [4]. Moreover, since CRC is ranked as one of the top-three causes of cancer-related deaths in US Hispanics, it is a major cause of mortality in this population [5]. …