Colon cancer is the third most common cause of cancer deaths in women.
50 and over is considered at risk for the disease. As with all cancers, colon cancer progresses in stages. Facts For every 5-year increase in age over 40, a woman's risk of colon cancer doubles. This difference is significant even after adjusting for the fact that women usually live longer than men. The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 94,700 people will be diagnosed with colon cancer in the United States in 1999.