Colorectal cancer represents 8.3 percent of all new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. In 2016, there were an estimated 1,324,922 people in the U.S. living with colorectal cancer. It is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., accounting for 8.4 percent of all cancer deaths.
The rate of new colorectal cancer cases has been falling an average of 2.4 percent each year over the last 10 years. Death rates fell an average of 2.2 percent each year between 2007 and 2016. Depending on whether and how much the cancer has spread, colorectal cancer is most often treated with radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery.
Source: NIH National Cancer Institute, Cancer Stat Facts: Colorectal Cancer
Utilizing biomarker testing can add a valuable perspective when determining optimal treatment strategies and engaging patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in shared decision-making.
The US has seen a steady decline in the overall incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) during the past several decades. In 1975, 60 people per 100,000 were diagnosed with colorectal cancer; by 2018, that number had fallen to 34. But overall trends in CRC incidence and outcomes often differ among racial groups and geographic locations. Black Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with CRC than White Americans and more likely to die from it. CRC mortality rates in American Indian and Alaska Native populations have stubbornly stayed put.
To help address the ongoing prevalence of colorectal cancer, ACCC is inviting its members to submit proposals for quality improvement initiatives in treating metastatic forms of this cancer.
