Colorectal Cancer: Statistics

What are statistics?

Some people use numbers called statistics to figure out their chances of getting cancer. Or they use them to try to figure out their chances of dying from cancer. Because no 2 people are alike, statistics can’t be used to predict what will happen to one person. The statistics below describe large groups of people. They do not take into account a person's own risk factors, such as family history, behaviors, or cancer screenings. If you have questions, talk with your healthcare provider.

What are the statistics for colorectal cancer?

Here are some statistics about colorectal cancer:

• Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer (excluding skin cancer) in both men and women.

• About 140,250 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2018. This includes about 97,220 people who will be diagnosed with colon cancer and about 43,030 people diagnosed with rectal cancer.

• For men, the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 22 (4.49%) and for women, 1 in 24 (4.15%). But this risk can be higher for people with certain risk factors.

• Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in women and men.

• About 50,630 people were expected to die from colorectal cancer in 2018.

Source: American Cancer Society (ACS)