Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
The disease strikes both men and women, with 130,000 cases diagnosed each year. Approximately 56,000 people die from colorectal cancer each year. Historically, researchers have considered a history of breast cancer to be a risk factor for colorectal cancer despite a lack of supporting evidence. Research has long been focused on identifying risk factors for this disease and improving prevention strategies. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Public Health and the Jefferson Medical College recently conducted a study to evaluate the relationship between breast cancer and the subsequent development of colorectal cancer.