{"id":34996,"date":"2022-12-21T10:50:18","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T15:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blackhealthmatters.com\/?p=34996"},"modified":"2026-02-02T10:57:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T15:57:29","slug":"living-with-late-stage-colorectal-cancer-advice-for-patients-and-their-caregivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blackhealthmatters.com\/living-with-late-stage-colorectal-cancer-advice-for-patients-and-their-caregivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Living With Late-Stage Colorectal Cancer: Advice for Patients and Their Caregivers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Colorectal cancer disproportionately affects the Black community, who not only get the disease at an earlier age but are also at a more advanced stage when diagnosed.<\/h3>\n

That’s because an estimated 50-60% of Black people don’t get screened at all, either because they put it off or have competing medical illnesses to address, says Dr. Fola May, associate professor of medicine and health equity expert at UCLA Health.<\/p>\n

Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>, most doctors recommend everyone to get screened for colorectal cancer at 45, and even earlier if you have family history. Early screening can prevent unnecessary death for some patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The five-year survival rate with stage 1 colorectal cancer is over 90%, while the survival rate for stage 4 colorectal cancer is between 11-14%.<\/p>\n

The American Cancer Society says<\/a> survival rates are based on how far the cancer has spread, age, overall health, how well the cancer responds to treatment, whether the cancer started on the left or right side of the colon, and other factors can also affect your outlook.<\/p>\n

For those who are diagnosed with late-stage colorectal cancer, Dr. May makes several recommendations that could impact a patient\u2019s outcome and quality of life.<\/h3>\n