M.D. Cancer of the colon and rectum is commonly referred to as colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.
About 130,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year. Nearly 60,000 people will die from colorectal cancer. At the present time about one in every 17 people in the United States will develop colorectal cancer during their lifetime. Fortunately, with today's knowledge and technical expertise, we can prevent most of these cancers from ever occurring. Colorectal cancer refers to malignant growths that occur in the colon and the rectum.