Tyleia Harrell, a patient of Capital District Colon & Rectal Surgery Associates, joined one of the practice’s surgeons, Dr. Thomas Tritt, on WNYT/NewsChannel 13 to stress the importance of colorectal cancer screening.
Harrell is a colon cancer survivor. She was diagnosed at the age of 46.
From the interview:
Harrell was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in Oct. 2024 after a delayed colonoscopy. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy, completing her treatment in June 2025, and now has clean scans.
Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of death in U.S. for people under 50. Harrell was 46 when she was diagnosed.
Dr. Tritt explained African-Americans have the highest rates of colorectal cancer in the U.S. and it is the third leading cause of cancer death in Black men and women.
Contributing factors include later-stage diagnosis and systemic barriers.
Dr. Tritt said that if you have personal or family history, risk factors start at 40.
He added that most patients do not have any symptoms, which is why prevention is key.
Click here to watch Harrell and Dr. Tritt’s full interview.
