Risk factors are the things about a person that are scientifically proven to be associated with a high rate of a certain disease.
Family history is an important risk factor.
People with three immediate family members with colorectal cancer have a 10-times greater than normal risk. This increased risk occurs because people with a family history of the disease can carry certain abnormal genes that are passed on through the generations. These abnormal genes allow uncontrolled growth of the cells lining the colon and rectum. Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer in both men and women in the United States. It is the colon and rectum that together make up the large intestine or bowel.