According to the American Cancer Society®, colorectal cancer is a cancer that begins in the colon or rectum. Generally, colorectal cancers begin as growths (called polyps) that can develop into cancer over time.
Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 50,000 people will die from it in the United States in 2018. If detected early in stage I, colorectal cancer is often treatable, with the 5-year survival rate at an average of 90%. Once the disease spreads though, the survival rate plummets to less than 10%.
