Introduction Cancer of the colon and rectum is the third leading cause of cancer worldwide, with an estimated 150,000 new cases every year. When detected early, colorectal cancer is highly treatable and curable. Most colon cancers arise from adenomatous polyps.
Advanced disease can cause perforation of the bowel, leading to infection.
The choice of treatment may depend on the individual's situation and current overall health status. However, for the majority of reasonably healthy persons with mild to moderate disease, aggressive treatment with a goal of cure is the plan. This is the same type of information that is available to physicians and other health care professionals. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2000 Different pathways of colorectal carcinogenesis and their clinical pictures.