Decreasing Black-White Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Incidence and Stage at Presentation in the United States

Abstract Background: There are long-standing black–white disparities in colorectal cancer incidence and outcomes in the United States. Incidence and stage at diagnosis reflect the impact of national efforts directed at colorectal cancer prevention and control. We aimed to evaluate trends in black–white disparities in both indicators over four decades to inform the future direction of prevention and control efforts. Methods: We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, P = 0.01), incidence remained higher in blacks in 2012. Late-stage disease declined by 0.27% and 0.45% per year in whites and blacks, respectively. The proportion of late-stage cases became statistically similar in whites and blacks in 2010 (56.60% vs. 56.96%; P = 0.17). Conclusions: Black–white disparities in colorectal cancer incidence and stage at presentation have decreased over time. Impact: Our findings reflect the positive impact of efforts to improve colorectal cancer disparities and emphasize the need for interventions to further reduce the incidence gap. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(5); 762–8. ©2016 AACR.