Celebrating 25 Years as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center

Resources: Colon Cancer Awareness

Colorectal cancer is cancer that starts in either the colon or the rectum. Colon cancer and rectal cancer have many features in common. The American Cancer Society's going to an new website most recent estimates for colorectal cancer in the United States are for 2011:
  • About 101,170 new cases of colon cancer
  • About 40,290 new cases of rectal cancer

Not counting skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer found in men and women in this country. The risk of a person having colorectal cancer in their lifetime is about 1 in 20.

The death rate from colorectal cancer has been going down for more than 20 years. One reason is that there are fewer cases. Thanks to colorectal cancer screening, polyps can be found and removed before they turn into cancer. And colorectal cancer can also be found earlier when it is easier to cure. Treatments have improved, too.

Source: American Cancer Society's Colorectal Cancer Overviewgoing to an new website.

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