Celebrity News August 31, 2020
Katie Couric’s New Interview About Colon Cancer on the Rise Among Young People
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In the wake of Chadwick Boseman's death at 43, Katie Couric has a new interview about colon cancer among young people.
Couric lost her husband Jay to the disease in 1998 when he was just 42, and she has been raising awareness and research dollars ever since.
She wrote on Instagram, “I interviewed one of Jay's doctors, @dr_gi_poe (Mark Pochapin) who is wonderful, caring physician to update everyone on what they need to know about colon cancer screening, why it's on the rise among younger people and the signs to look for.”
The full interview is in her “Wake Up Call with Katie Couric” newsletter, and you can sign up here.
She also posted an excerpt on Instagram, and Dr. Pochapin reveals, “The incidence of new colorectal cancer for young adults less than age 50 continues to increase by 2% per year.”
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Do scientists know why? He explained, “The short answer is no… we know that about 1 in 5 of younger patients with colorectal cancer have a genetic reason that increases risk, although only about half of these patients actually have the family history that matches the genetic mutation.”
Dr. Pochapin also addressed a higher risk of the disease in the Black community, saying, “Factors such as lower socioeconomic status, decreased access to healthcare including screening and follow up, other medical conditions, diet, and obesity, may all be contributing to these trends.”
He said anyone at normal risk should get screened starting at age 45. If there is a family history of cancer or colorectal cancer, he said people should talk to their doctor about early screening or genetic testing.
