Physician Philip Browning wanted to talk about the landmark cancer research project he's working on. He wanted to make certain that his audience of black writers understood the significance of this health study, the largest ever undertaken among African-Americans.
Browning wanted to press home the point that this $22 million study is expected to produce a strategy for slashing the cancer death rate among blacks. The collaborative effort between Georgia State University and Meharry Medical College will track nearly 70,000 blacks in six Southern states.
Browning wanted to press home the point that this $22 million study is expected to produce a strategy for slashing the cancer death rate among blacks. The collaborative effort between Georgia State University and Meharry Medical College will track nearly 70,000 blacks in six Southern states.
But while he tried to keep the focus on those points, my mind was stuck on what he said at the beginning of his presentation to the Trotter Group, an organization of African-American columnists. Browning, the cancer researcher, said he is also a cancer survivor.
In 2000, Browning discovered blood in his stool and insisted on having a colonoscopy. That examination revealed a cancerous tumor, which was removed, said Browning, the associate director of Vanderbilt's Ingram Cancer Center. He is now undergoing chemotherapy, although you couldn't tell by looking at him.
A warning sign
Shortly after Browning's cancer was discovered, I had my own colon cancer scare when I found blood and knew I had to go to the doctor. When I went, my doctor removed a non-cancerous polyp from my colon. Some polyps, if not removed, can become cancerous. That close call was an awakening. A follow-up colonoscopy this year uncovered two more benign polyps — and reinforced my resolve to encourage black men, who have the highest colon cancer death rate in this country, to have the procedure early and as often as is medically necessary.
Cultural breakthrough needed
Browning, however, knows it's going to take more than a scientific breakthrough to reduce the cancer death rate among black Americans,especially black men.
"One could say that this disparity occurs because of our inadequate, ineffective health care system in this country," Browning said. " Colorectal cancer in African-American men is often discovered in its later stages not only because the lack of health care keeps many of them from going to the doctor, but also because cultural taboos cause many who have medical coverage not to respond to the early warning signs. I was lucky. I put aside my hang-ups and, in doing so, may have saved my life. Browning didn't fare quite as well as I did; he did have cancer. But had his cancer gone undetected, he might not have lived long enough to come before us last week to talk about the promising cancer research that he and others are doing.
Browning, however, knows it's going to take more than a scientific breakthrough to reduce the cancer death rate among black Americans,especially black men.
"One could say that this disparity occurs because of our inadequate, ineffective health care system in this country," Browning said. " Colorectal cancer in African-American men is often discovered in its later stages not only because the lack of health care keeps many of them from going to the doctor, but also because cultural taboos cause many who have medical coverage not to respond to the early warning signs. I was lucky. I put aside my hang-ups and, in doing so, may have saved my life. Browning didn't fare quite as well as I did; he did have cancer. But had his cancer gone undetected, he might not have lived long enough to come before us last week to talk about the promising cancer research that he and others are doing.
-The Bachelor
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1 comments:
Hi. I'm an associate director (communications) at Vanderbilt-Ingram and was a colleague and friend of Dr. Browning's. Thank you so much for this important message. We miss Phil every day but it's wonderful to see his last impact.
I wanted to update you briefly on that study you mention. Enrollment is on target and will conclude within this year. Analysis has begun, including some interesting preliminary findings that vitamin D levels among the African Americans in the study is lower. One hypothesis is that because of the higher level of melanin in the skin, producing vitamin D from sun exposure is less effective. Vitamin D has been linked to colon cancer risk reduction ... so one avenue of potential pursuit may be to intervene with vitamin D supplementation... This is just one of what should be dozens and dozens of interesting clues to follow. Stay tuned!
Thank you again for this important message and for keeping Dr. Browning's memory alive.
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