‘Cosby Show’ Actress Phylicia Rashad Helped Propel ‘Black Panther’ Actor Chadwick Boseman’s Career Years Before His Stage 3 Colon Cancer Diagnosis

Like many who knew him, Rashad was deeply touched after the late actor died from colon cancer. She was his acting teacher at Howard University during the ’90s.

“When he came to New York after graduating from Howard University, one day he called me all excited. ‘Oh, Ms. Rashad, you will never guess what I am doing,” she recalled.

“You know what he was doing? He was working with young people at the library, and he was excited about it. That’s who Chadwick was,” she added.

Rashad also highlighted Boseman’s unique on-screen talents, noting how he was able to place himself holistically into the characters he was portraying.

“When I look back on his body of film work…it never ceases to amaze me how very different he is in each and every role…He presents a real person and persona in every character he plays,” Rashad said.

The “Black Panther” actor’s emotional colon cancer battle sent shockwaves throughout the television and film industry and within many other segments of the population. His tragic passing managed to draw more attention to the impact this type of cancer is having, not just among younger people but especially among Black men. The beloved actor was just 39 years old when he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2016. Stage 3 cancer means it’s begun to spread beyond its point of origin within the body. He kept his cancer battle out of the spotlight until it took its toll, leading to his passing at age 43.

Colon Cancer Incidence Rates Higher for African Americans

The National Cancer Institute also found some groups of people are more affected by the rise in younger colon cancer diagnoses than others.

Research published in the American Journal of Pathology found African Americans’ colorectal cancer incidence rate is “20 percent higher than whites” and also have a higher mortality rate.

African Americans are also diagnosed with colorectal cancer at earlier ages, and it tends to be more advanced upon discovery. Part of the reason for the disparity rests in limited access to quality healthcare, cancer screening, and socioeconomic factors.

“Black people are still more likely to get colorectal cancer at a young age than white people even though the gap is shrinking,” Dr. Nathan Ellis with the University of Arizona Cancer Center said.

Dr. Cedrek McFadden, a board-certified colorectal and general surgeon, points to cultural reluctance to share details about your health, which plays a role in getting access to health.

“I sometimes see people in their 60s or 70s that have had years of symptoms and will come in and say, I’ve had this for some time, but they just kept it to themselves, where they felt shameful and didn’t talk about those types of problems, or were prideful and that is to our detriment,” McFadden explained.

Dr. Zuri Murrell previously told SurvivorNet that he does outreach to communities of color, especially African American communities.

“What I found, especially with my African American patients, is that there’s not a lot of African American GI docs. Dr. Murrell said There are not many African American colorectal surgeons.

WATCH: Closing the Gap with added access to care.

“When I go to churches, and I go to a lot of inner-city churches just to, to kind of communicate my message of being your own healthcare advocate, I tell the story, and I try to diminish some of the taboo nature of colon and rectal surgery, anal rectal surgery, Dr. Murrell added.

To help turn the tide of this concerning trend impacting Black communities, the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center recommends scheduling colorectal cancer screenings, enhancing your diet rich with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol, and avoiding smoking.

RELATED: SurvivorNet holds an annual Close the Gap conference to educate, spread awareness, and ultimately work to eliminate racial disparities in cancer care.

Colon Cancer Appearing More in Younger People

The average age people are diagnosed with colon cancer is 68 for men and 72 for women, according to the American Cancer Society. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that adults aged 45 to 75 be screened for colorectal cancer.

The National Cancer Institute reports that since the 1990s, colorectal cancer cases have been rising among adults younger than 50. Research published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians found that the proportion of cases in people younger than 55 “increased from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019.”

“We know rates are increasing in young people, but it’s alarming to see how rapidly the whole patient population is shifting younger, despite shrinking numbers in the overall population,” cancer epidemiologist and lead study author Rebecca Siegel said.

Researchers are still trying to determine why younger people are being diagnosed in more significant numbers. Some experts point to risk factors, which include obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking, as a possible explanation for the increase.

“We don’t know for sure why we are seeing earlier onset and death from colon cancer,” Dr. Heather Yeo, a surgical oncologist who specializes in colorectal cancers at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet.

“It is likely a combination of factors, including diet and genetics as well as access to care and some environmental factors,” Dr. Yeo added.

Understanding Colon Cancer

Colon cancer, or colorectal cancer, affects your large intestine (colon) or the end of your intestine (rectum).

The cancer starts when abnormal lumps called polyps grow in the colon or rectum. If you don’t have these polyps removed, they can sometimes change into cancer. It takes up to 10 years for a colon polyp to become full-blown cancer, according to SurvivorNet experts.

WATCH: Helping You Understand Colorectal Cancer

Most colon cancers can be prevented if people are regularly screened. The screening usually involves a colonoscopy, in which a long, thin tube attached to a camera is used to examine the colon and rectum. If no polyps are discovered, the next screening won’t be needed for about ten years.

“We know that colon cancers can be prevented when polyps are found early,” SurvivorNet medical advisor Dr. Heather Yeo explains.

“Lowering the screening age helps somewhat with this, but access to care is a real problem,” Yeo added.

What are Colon Polyps?

A colon polyp is a small group of cells that forms on the colon’s lining.

When you have a colonoscopy, the gastroenterologist looks for polyps inside your intestine. Although polyps can’t be felt, they can be picked up by screening tests before they cause a problem, such as colon or rectal (colorectal) cancer.

A polyp that is found during a colonoscopy is removed, which can prevent the development of cancer. Almost all polyps that are removed are precancerous, meaning that they have not yet progressed to cancer.

A Colonoscopy Explained

A colonoscopy is a procedure doctors use to screen for colon cancer by looking inside your colon.

This procedure requires your colon to be “cleaned out.” To clear out your colon, your doctor will prescribe a “bowel prep,” a liquid you drink the night before the procedure. The prep acts as a laxative that causes you to have multiple loose stools before your procedure.

Once your colon is cleared, the gastroenterologist performing the procedure can have a clear look to evaluate if any polyps or masses are present.

Depending on the size and number of polyps found, it is recommended that patients undergo a repeat colonoscopy within three to five years.

WATCH: What Doctors Look for During Colonoscopies

Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon and Director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, previously explained the colonoscopy procedure to SurvivorNet.

“When we see a polyp, we actually physically take the polyp out through the colonoscope,” he explained.

“What does that mean? That means we basically put a wire through with a little bit of a flange at the end, and we pull the polyp out. Now, note there is no pain with that. Inside the colon, there are no pain fibers. So there’s no pain,” Dr. Murrell added.

The advantage of a colonoscopy is that your doctor can remove any polyps found during the test. Many colon cancers can be caught on colonoscopy before they develop or when the polyps are small enough to be removed without surgery.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are facing a colon cancer diagnosis, here are some questions you may ask your doctor.

• What are my treatment options based on my diagnosis?
• If I’m worried about managing the costs of cancer care, who can help me?
• What support services are available to me? To my family?
• Could this treatment affect my sex life? If so, how and for how long?
• What are the risks and possible side effects of treatment?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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