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Colon and rectal cancer

How common is colon and rectal cancer?

Cancer of the colon and rectum is the third most common type of cancer for men and women in the United States.

Here are the latest figures from the American Cancer Society.

Source:
American Cancer Society.
Colorectal cancer facts and figures: special edition 2005.
Available at http://www.cancer.org (accessed on 6 May 2009).

Every year, about 150,000 people are diagnosed with cancer of the colon or rectum in the United States.
For about 1 in 4 people with this disease, their tumor will be in their rectum.
Anyone can get colon or rectal cancer, but more than 9 out of 10 people with this disease are over age 50.
Around 56,000 people die from the disease every year. Of people who die from cancer, 1 in 10 die from colon or rectal cancer.
Only lung cancer and prostate cancer claim more lives among men, and only lung cancer and breast cancer cause more deaths among women.
Black Americans are more likely to get this cancer and to die from it than other ethnic or racial groups. Researchers are not sure why this is.
The good news is that the number of people in all groups who are dying from colon and rectal cancer is going down. Research suggests that screening programs are helping people find polyps earlier so they can have them removed before they become cancer.

Sources for the information on this page:

American Cancer Society.Colorectal cancer facts and figures: special edition 2005.Available at http://www.cancer.org (accessed on 6 May 2009).

This information was last updated on May 08, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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