In late August, the world was stunned by the unexpected death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman. Fans and friends alike learned Boseman had been secretly battling colorectal cancer while starring in multiple high profile films over the previous five years. He was diagnosed in his late 30s, and died at age 43.
While cancer is rare in someone so young, cancer cases have been rising in adolescents and young adults in the U.S. for the last decade. Cancer mortality, on the other hand, has decreased in this age group, but the rate of diagnosis has remained stable or even increased for a few types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. Experts think obesity, along with health care access, may be driving these trends. Chances of survival varies along racial lines, with young Black Americans more at risk of cancer death than young white Americans.
