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Dr. Chioma Anjou’s Webinar on Colon Cancer in the Black Community Set for March 21

March 03, 2022

Hartford HealthCare is presenting a “Colon Cancer in the Black Community” webinar by Dr. Chioma Anjou, a gastroenterology specialist with Hartford HealthCare’s Digestive Health Center, on Monday, March 21 from 5 to 6 p.m.

Join Dr. Anjou from the comfort of your home on your phone, computer or tablet to learn the latest information on the increased risk of colon cancer in Black men and women, colon cancer signs, symptoms and treatment options, and screening and early detection. A live question-and-answer session with the expert will follow the presentation.

Each year, colorectal cancer claims more than 50,000 lives in the United States as the third-most common form of cancer and second-most common cause of cancer-related death. In the Black community, numbers are even higher, largely due to less screening, a diagnostic tool connected to early detection and higher survival rates.

Not only are African Americans more apt to get colon cancer, but they also are diagnosed more at younger ages and when the disease is advanced, said Dr. Chioma Anjou.

“We consider both environmental and genetic contributions,” Dr. Anjou said. “No specific gene giving African Americans higher rates of colon cancer has been identified. There are some hypotheses and associations, but no single causative gene that we can point to is responsible for the worse outcomes among African-Americans.”

Environmental factors impacting rates of colon cancer in African Americans include being less likely to talk with family about a history of colon polyps, discomfort talking about symptoms and the inability to share screening results with relatives, even if colon polyps are found.

“Systemic health disparities also play a role,” Dr. Anjou said.

A recent publication determined the length of time between colon cancer diagnosis and treatment was longer for minorities, improving from lower to higher socioeconomic status except among African Americans. Even for high-income African Americans, the research, published in the journal Gastroenterology showed longer times between diagnosis and treatment.

To register for this interactive and informative presentation, please call 1.855.HHC.HERE (1.855.442.4373) or click here.

After you register, you’ll receive an email with easy instructions on joining the virtual class.