Colorectal & Anal Cancers
Joshua D. I. Ellenhorn, MD, Carey A. Cullinane, MD, Lawrence R. Coia, MD, and Steven R. Alberts, MD
Despite the existence of excellent screening and preventive strategies, colorectal
carcinoma remains a major public health problem in western countries. An
estimated 147,500 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year, and
57,100 people die of the disease.
Colorectal carcinoma is the third leading cause of death from cancer
in both males and females. It also is the third most common malignancy in both men
(after prostate and lung cancers) and women (after breast and lung cancers).
Colon cancer is more than 2.4 times as common as rectal cancer. Rectal cancer
is defined as cancer arising below the peritoneal reflection, up to approximately
12-15 cm from the anal verge. Because it has a different natural history, colon
cancer is treated and reported separately from rectal cancer.
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