Black Americans continue to face stark disparities across the entire colorectal cancer care continuum—from screening and diagnosis to treatment and survival. Despite overall declines in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, Black patients remain disproportionately affected, with higher rates of late-stage diagnosis and lower survival outcomes.
The gap begins with screening. Black adults are less likely to receive timely colonoscopies, and even when screened, they are more likely to experience delays in follow-up care. These delays contribute to more advanced disease at diagnosis, which in turn worsens prognosis.
Treatment disparities are equally troubling. Black patients are less likely to receive guideline-concordant care, including surgery and chemotherapy. They also face longer wait times and are more likely to be treated at lower-resourced hospitals. The cumulative effect is a survival rate that lags behind that of white patients.
Structural racism and social determinants of health play a central role. Factors such as insurance status, income, and neighborhood segregation influence access to care and quality of treatment. The article emphasizes that “addressing disparities in colorectal cancer requires a multifaceted approach,” including policy reform, community engagement, and culturally tailored interventions.
Researchers call for more inclusive clinical trials and better data collection to understand the full scope of these inequities. Without targeted efforts, the racial gap in colorectal cancer outcomes is likely to persist.
See: “Black–White disparities across the colorectal cancer care continuum in the USA” (July 29, 2025)
