Also called: Also called: Colon cancer, Rectal cancer
Cancer of the colon or rectum is also called colorectal cancer. In the United States, it is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. Caught early, it is often curable.
It is more common in people over 50, and the risk increases with age. You are also more likely to get it if you have
- Polyps - growths inside the colon and rectum that may become cancerous
- A diet that is high in fat
- A family history or personal history of colorectal cancer
- Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease
Symptoms can include blood in the stool, narrower stools, a change in bowel habits and general stomach discomfort. However, you may not have symptoms at first, so screening is important. Everyone who is 50 or older should be screened for colorectal cancer. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination.
National Cancer Institute
-
Colon Cancer(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/coloncancer/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/coloncancerspanish/htm/index.htm
- Colorectal Cancer (PDQ): Screening(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/colorectal/patient/
-
What You Need to Know about Cancer of the Colon and Rectum(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/colon-and-rectum
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/sabersobre/colonyrecto/
- Colorectal (Colon) Cancer(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/
- Colorectal Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/colorectalcancer/toc.html
- JAMA Patient Page: Colon Cancer(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/296/12/1552.pdf
- What Is Colorectal Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_1x_what_is_colon_and_rectum_cancer.asp?sitearea=cri
- Negative Colon Cancer Test Makes 5-Year Risk Low(09/17/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69378.html
- Virtual Colonoscopy Effective for Average Risk People(09/17/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69410.html
- Colon Cancer Oncogene Discovered(09/14/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69258.html
- More News on Colorectal Cancer http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_c.html#colorectalcancer
- Colon Adenocarcinoma(College of American Pathologists) - Links to PDF - http://www.cap.org/apps/docs/reference/myBiopsy/ColonAdenocarcinoma.pdf
- Colonoscopy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/colonoscopy/
-
Colonoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colonoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/colonoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
- Fecal Occult Blood Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/fecal_occult_blood/test.html
- Flexible Sigmoidoscopy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/sigmoidoscopy/
- How Is Colorectal Cancer Diagnosed?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_colon_and_rectum_cancer_diagnosed.asp
- How Is Colorectal Cancer Staged?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_colon_and_rectum_cancer_staged.asp
- Lower GI Series (Barium Enema)(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lowergi/
-
Sigmoidoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/sigmoidoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/sigmoidoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
- Understanding Colonoscopy(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) - http://www.asge.org/PatientInfoIndex.aspx?id=382
- Virtual Colonoscopy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/virtualcolonoscopy/
-
Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy for Cancer of the Colon or Rectum(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/cancer/treatment/026.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/cancer/treatment/026.printerview.html
- Colon and Rectum Cancer: Making Treatment Decisions(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_8_Making_Treatment_Decisions_Colon_and_Rectum_Cancer.asp?sitearea=
-
Colon Cancer (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/colon/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/colon/patient/
-
Colon Cancer Surgery(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/coloncancersurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/coloncancersurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Colostomy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colostomy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/colostomyspanish/htm/index.htm
- Ileostomy, Colostomy and Ileoanal Reservoir Surgery(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ileostomy/index.htm
- Laparoscopic Abdominoperineal Resection: Basic Surgical Steps(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/colorectal_cancer/hic_laparoscopic_abdominoperineal_resection_basic_surgical_steps.aspx
-
Laparoscopic Colon Resection(Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons) - http://www.sages.org/publications/publication.php?id=PI09
Also available in Spanish http://www.sages.org/publications/publication.php?id=PI09S
- Laparoscopic Proctosigmoidectomy: Basic Surgical Steps(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/laparoscopic_surgery/hic_laparoscopic_proctosigmoidectomy_basic_surgical_steps.aspx
- Ostomy(American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons) - http://www.fascrs.org/patients/treatments_and_screenings/ostomy/
- Radiation Therapy for Colorectal Cancer(American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology) - http://www.rtanswers.org/treatment/disease/colon_cancer.htm
-
Rectal Cancer (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/rectal/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/recto/patient/
- Treatment by Stage of Colon Cancer(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Treatment_by_Stage_of_Colon_Cancer.asp?sitearea=
- Treatment by Stage of Rectal Cancer(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Treatment_by_Stage_of_Rectum_Cancer.asp?sitearea=
- Can Colorectal Cancer Be Prevented?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Can_colon_and_rectum_cancer_be_prevented.asp
- Can Colorectal Polyps and Cancer Be Found Early?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_Can_colon_and_rectum_cancer_be_found_early.asp
- Colon Cancer Guide(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/colon-cancer/CO99999/METHOD=print&PAGE=all
- Colon Cancer: Get the Tests You Need(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/SPC/content/SPC_1_Colon_Cancer_Awareness_Feature.asp
- Colorectal Cancer (PDQ): Prevention(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/colorectal/patient/
- Colorectal Cancer (PDQ): Screening(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/colorectal/patient/
-
JAMA Patient Page: Colon Cancer Screening(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/295/10/1208.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/289/10/1334/DC1/1
- Prevention the Focus of New Colon Cancer Screening Guidelines(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Prevention_the_Focus_of_New_Colon_Cancer_Screening_Guidelines.asp
-
What Are the Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_colon_and_rectum_cancer.asp?rnav=cri
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ESP/content/ESP_5_1X_Prevencion_y_factores_de_riesgo_10.asp?
- Colon Cleansing & Cancer Risk(University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center) - http://www.mdanderson.org/diseases/colorectal/display.cfm?id=80b56700-7f3d-11d4-aec800508bdcce3a&method=displayfull
- Colon and Rectum Cancer: During Treatment(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_8_During_Treatment_Colon_and_Rectum_Cancer.asp?sitearea=
- Colon and Rectum Cancer: If Cancer Recurs or Continues to Grow(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_8_If_Cancer_Recurs_or_Continues_to_Grow_Colon_and_Rectum_Cancer.asp?sitearea=
- Colon and Rectum Cancer: What Happens After Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5x_What_happens_after_treatment_10.asp
- Follow-Up Care for Colorectal Cancer(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/ASCO+Resources/Patient+Guides/ASCO+Patient+Guide%3A+Follow-Up+Care+for+Colorectal+Cancer
- Managing Side Effects(Colorectal Cancer Coalition) - http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/awareness/patients/treatment/managing_side_effects
- Lynch Syndrome(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/lynch-syndrome/DS00669/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Colorectal Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_5X_What_should_you_ask_your_doctor_about_colon_and_rectum_cancer.asp
-
Colon Cancer Risk Questionnaire(Siteman Cancer Center) - http://www.yourdiseaserisk.siteman.wustl.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=english&func=start&quiz=colon
Also available in Spanish http://www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=spanish&func=start&quiz=colon
- Colorectal Cancer Risk: Understanding the Puzzle(National Cancer Institute) - http://understandingrisk.cancer.gov/a_colon/00.cfm
-
Colon Cancer(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/coloncancer/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/coloncancerspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Colon Cancer Surgery(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/coloncancersurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/coloncancersurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Colonoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colonoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/colonoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
- Colorectal Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/colorectalcancer/toc.html
-
Colostomy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colostomy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/colostomyspanish/htm/index.htm
-
Sigmoidoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/sigmoidoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/sigmoidoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
- Advances in Colorectal Cancer Therapies(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 6/20/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=588
- Advances in Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 4/23/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/ens_2310/rnh.cfm?id=718
- Laparoscopic Sigmoid Colectomy(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 6/21/2006 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=309
- Minimally Invasive Colon Surgery(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 1/24/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=388
- Total Proctocolectomy for Synchronous Colon and Recal Cancer(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 7/24/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/ens_1878/rnh.cfm?id=607
- Colorectal (Colon) Cancer: Insurance and Medicare(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/screening/insurance.htm
- Colorectal Cancer Awareness: Some Important Facts You Should Know about Colorectal Cancer!(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/health/awareness.asp
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Colonic Neoplasms(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Colonic+Neoplasms%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Colonoscopy(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/intervention=colonoscopy
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Colorectal Neoplasms(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Colorectal+Neoplasms%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Rectal Neoplasms(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Rectal+Neoplasms%22
- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Familial+Adenomatous+Polyposis
- Genetics Home Reference: Familial adenomatous polyposis(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=familialadenomatouspolyposis
- Genetics Home Reference: Lynch syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=lynchsyndrome
- Hereditary Mixed Polyposis Syndrome(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Hereditary+Mixed+Polyposis+Syndrome
- Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Juvenile+Polyposis+Syndrome
- Learning about Colon Cancer(National Human Genome Research Institute) - http://www.genome.gov/page.cfm?pageID=10000466
- Muir-Torre Syndrome(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Muir-Torre+Syndrome
- MYH-Associated Polyposis(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/MYH-Associated+Polyposis
- Turcot Syndrome(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Turcot+Syndrome
- Cetuximab Provides Slight Survival Advantage in Advanced Colorectal Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/cetuximab1107
- Colorectal Cancer(National Institutes of Health) - Links to PDF - http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/Colorectalcancer.pdf
- Colorectal Cancer Drugs Require Careful Patient Selection(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/KRAS0608
- Drug Combination Cuts Risk of Advanced Colon Polyps(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/DFMO0408
- Irinotecan Not Effective in Adjuvant Therapy for Colon Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/irinotecan0807
- Research Examines Links between Family History and Colon Cancer Survival(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Research_Examines_Links_Between_Family_History_and_Colon_Cancer_Survival.asp
- Scientists Identify Genetic Contributor to Colorectal Cancer Risk(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Scientists_Identify_Genetic_Contributor_to_Colorectal_Cancer_Risk.asp
- What You Eat May Influence Colon Cancer Relapse(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_What_You_Eat_May_Influence_Colon_Cancer_Relapse.asp
- What's New in Colorectal Cancer Research and Treatment?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_6X_Whats_new_in_colon_and_rectum_cancer_research_and_treatment.asp?rnav=cri
- Article: The role of imaging in the pre-operative staging and post-operative... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18697365&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Sites of surgical wasting in the abdominoperineal specimen. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18690619&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Randomized phase III study comparing preoperative radiotherapy with chemoradiotherapy in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18669453&tool=MedlinePlus
- Colorectal Cancer -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(colonic+neoplasms[majr]+OR+rectal+neoplasms[majr:noexp])+NOT+colonic+polyps[majr]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Colorectal (Colon) Cancer: Glossary(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/glossary/
- Dictionary of Cancer Terms(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary/
- American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: Find a Doctor(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) - http://www.asge.org/Apps/FindADoctor/search.aspx
- American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons - http://www.fascrs.org/
- National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/
- Colorectal Cancer Incidence Trends(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/statistics/trends.htm
- What Are the Key Statistics for Colon and Rectum Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_are_the_key_statistics_for_colon_and_rectum_cancer.asp
- What Women Need to Know about Colon Cancer Screening(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) - http://www.asge.org/PatientInfoIndex.aspx?id=374
- Anal and Rectal Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/analandrectaldiseases.html
- Anal Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/analcancer.html
- Colonic Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/colonicdiseases.html
- Colonic Polyps - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/colonicpolyps.html
- Cancers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cancers.html
- Digestive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Colorectal Cancer is the National Cancer Institute - http://www.nci.nih.gov/
Colorectal Cancer - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/colorectalcancer.html