colorectal cancer: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 3, 2026

News •

Study reveals new clues to why colorectal cancer in young people is so deadly • Oct. 29, 2026, 6:00 AM ET (Live Science)

Rising rates of colorectal cancer found in nearly all age groups • Oct. 27, 2026, 5:00 PM ET (Medical Xpress)

Colorectal cancer cases in kids have risen sixfold over past 2 decades — researchers are racing to understand why • Oct. 26, 2026, 8:00 AM ET (Live Science)

Photos

Infographic with pie charts and bar graphs showing projected cancer incidence and mortality in the U.S. for 2025. Key cancers include breast, prostate, lung, and colon, with breakdowns by sex and cancer type. Lung cancer leads in deaths for both men and women.

See All Images →

Topics

familial adenomatous polyposis hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer nutritional disease colonoscopy large intestine rectum colon intestine human disease AIDS malaria diabetes mellitus tuberculosis Alzheimer disease influenza breast cancer congenital disorder measles pneumonia

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

nutritional disease: Colorectal cancer

Key People

Modrich, Paul

Paul Modrich

American biochemist

44 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Health and Medicine Quizzes

A Yorkshire terrier dressed up as a veterinarian or doctor on a white background. (dogs)

A Visit with the Word Doctor: Medical Vocabulary Quiz

full human skeleton

Diseases, Disorders, and More: A Medical Quiz