The colon and rectum make up the large intestine, the long muscular tube that food passes through during digestion. The colon is the upper five to six feet of the large intestine. The rectum is the bottom six to eight inches. Colon Cancer Colon cancer occurs when cells in the colon grow out of control. It often starts as a small non-cancerous tumor called an adenomatous polyp.
Screening tests can detect and remove adenomatous polyps.
Burden of Disease Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the US, accounting for approximately 48,000 deaths each year. Over 97,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer this year. 97,100 Americans are newly diagnosed with colon cancer each year. Men and women are at equal risk of developing colon cancer. Although colonoscopy and barium enema are effective screening tests, data are still limited on their use in population-based screening programs.