Bowel Cancer Statistics

Key Takeaways

• 1In 2020, colorectal cancer was the third most common cancer worldwide with approximately 1.93 million new cases, representing 10.0% of all cancer cases
• 2Globally, colorectal cancer ranks as the second leading cause of cancer death with 935,000 deaths in 2020, accounting for 9.3% of all cancer deaths
• 3In the United States, an estimated 153,020 new cases of colorectal cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2024
• 4Age is the biggest risk factor with 90% of colorectal cancers diagnosed in people over 50 worldwide
• 5Family history increases colorectal cancer risk 2-3 fold if a first-degree relative is affected before age 50
• 6Inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis raises lifetime colorectal cancer risk to 30% after 35 years
• 7Change in bowel habits occurs in 75% of colorectal cancer patients
• 8Blood in stool is reported in 40-60% of colorectal cancer cases at diagnosis
• 9Abdominal pain or cramping present in 50-70% of patients with colon cancer
• 105-year survival for localized colorectal cancer is 91%
• 11Regional spread colorectal cancer 5-year survival 73%
• 12Distant metastatic colorectal cancer 5-year survival 15%
• 13Colorectal cancer screening reduces mortality by 30-50% in screened populations
• 14Colonoscopy every 10 years from age 45 reduces colorectal cancer incidence by 68% and mortality by 53%
• 15FIT annual screening detects 75% of colorectal cancers, reduces mortality by 33%

A common deadly cancer's burden is rising despite effective screening and prevention.