Chadwick Boseman’s widow warns young people ‘vastly underestimate’ their risk of bowel cancer after Black Panther star died of disease at 43

The widow of Chadwick Boseman has warned young people they are ‘vastly underestimating’ their risk of bowel cancer – after losing her husband to the disease which is becoming increasingly common among young people.

Taylor Simone Ledward-Boseman urged people under the age of 50 to be vigilant for symptoms such as changes in bowel habits and blood in stool – as the disease is set to become the biggest killer of this age group by 2030.

Speaking at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, she also urged people to attend screenings – which are available to people in the US from the age of 45 – and said the cancer’ treatable if detected early’.

It shocked the world when her husband Chadwick Boseman died from the disease in August 2020 at the age of 43, after secretly battling the disease for four years.

Other high-profile cases include Broadway actor Quentin Lee, who died from the cancer in December 2022 at the age of 34.

She is pictured at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, giving a keynote speech to raise awareness about the disease

Bowel cancer can cause you to have blood in your poop, a change in bowel habits, or a lump in your bowel that can cause blockages. Some people also suffer from weight loss as a result of these symptoms

Speaking at the hospital – which has a unit dedicated to young patients with bowel cancer – Ms Ledward-Boseman said: ‘Bowel cancer is killing young people across the country, and most vastly underestimate their risk.

‘I have seen how this disease progresses and I now know how treatable it is if caught early.

“My personal plea comes from this insight, and from the disappointment I feel about the lack of awareness in my community.”

She added: “We who have this knowledge have a duty to inform our fellow man. Spreading awareness will save lives.”

She was the keynote speaker at the fifth annual patient and family forum at the hospital’s Center for People with Colon Cancer.

Statistics show that by 2030, the number of bowel cancer cases is expected to increase by more than 140 percent among people under the age of 50, with approximately 27,000 patients expected to be diagnosed annually.

It is expected that more than 4,000 bowel cancer deaths will also have been recorded by this date, as cancer becomes the biggest killer of this age group. In 1998 it was the fourth largest.

Most patients are in their 40s, although cases are also more commonly recorded in people in their 30s and under 21 years of age.

Black adults are at greatest risk, with a 20 percent higher risk of cancer than other ethnic groups and a 40 percent higher risk of death.

Data from JAMA Surgery, which Dr. Lieu referenced in his presentation this weekend, shows that colon cancer is expected to increase by 90 percent in people ages 20 to 34.

The same data shows that rectal cancer will increase by 124 percent in the youngest age group

Colon cancer is a major killer because its symptoms are often nonspecific and missed in the early stages. This means that the disease is only diagnosed in the later stages, when the disease has spread to other parts of the body and becomes more difficult to treat.

Chadwick Boseman, from South Carolina, was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2016, with the cancer having spread through his colon and to his lymph nodes.

He battled the disease for four years through repeated surgeries and chemotherapy, while also filming movies including Marvel’s Black Panther.

He died of cancer after a four-year battle, with the revelation shocking the world – with the actor still looking healthy.

Bowel cancer is a major killer because it is difficult to detect in the early stages, with symptoms such as changes in bowel habits and blood in the stool often overlooked by patients.

This means that it is often not discovered until it has progressed and spread to other parts of the body, making it more difficult to treat.

Data shows that about 97 percent of patients survive more than five years after their diagnosis if the cancer is caught early.

But if it is discovered at a late stage, the survival rate drops to just 14 percent. Nearly a quarter of patients are diagnosed at this stage.

Dr. Kimmie Ng – a cancer expert at Dana-Farber – warned of the rise: ‘The alarming increase in colorectal cancer in young adulthood underlines the urgent need for greater awareness, early detection and comprehensive research to understand the underlying causes and develop effective prevention and treatment strategies.

‘Facing colorectal cancer at a young age requires not only resilience, but also advocacy.

‘We are grateful to Simone Ledward-Boseman for courageously sharing her personal experience as a caregiver.

“Her continued support of awareness efforts is a tribute to the incredible legacy of her late husband, Chadwick Boseman.”