As the second leading cause of death in men and women combined in the United States, you may be interested to learn more about colorectal cancer amid National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Even as one in 20 people is diagnosed with colorectal cancer, one in three people is not up to date on their screening. Unfortunately, 60 percent of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented with that screening.
Here’s some good news, though: 2014 data shows colon cancer rates have dropped 30 percent in the U.S. in the last 10 years in adults ages 50 and older, thanks to the widespread uptake of colonoscopies. In turn, the mortality rate for colon cancer has decreased.
However, rates of colorectal cancer for people under the age of 50 has risen. A little more than 75.2 percent of those diagnosed under the age of 50 are in their 40s.
It is estimated there will be more than 140,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in 2019.
There are currently about 1 million colorectal cancer survivors in the U.S.