But medical information is always changing, and some information given here may be out of date. For regularly updated information on a variety of health topics, please visit familydoctor.org , the AAFP patient education Web site. An article on this topic is available in this issue of AFP .
Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon or rectum.
Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. It caused about 56,500 deaths in 1999. Many of these deaths happened because the cancers were found too late to be cured. If colorectal cancer is found early enough, it can usually be cured by surgery. As the polyp grows, it can keep your intestine from working properly.