Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. When cancer starts in the colon or rectum, it is called colorectal cancer. Sometimes it is called ...SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkColorectal(Colon)CancerSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateBasicInformationAboutColorectalCancerEspañol(Spanish)MinusRelatedPagesCancerisadiseaseinwhichcellsinthebodygrowoutofcontrol.Whencancerstartsinthecolonorrectum,itiscalledcolorectalcancer.Sometimesitiscalledcoloncancer,forshort.Colorectalcanceraffectsmenandwomenofallracialandethnicgroups,andismostoftenfoundinpeoplewhoare50yearsoldorolder.Ofcancersthataffectbothmenandwomen,colorectalcanceristhesecondleadingcancerkillerintheUnitedStates,butitdoesn’thavetobe.Colorectalcancerscreening saveslives.Screeningcanfindprecancerouspolyps—abnormalgrowthsinthecolonorrectum—thatcanberemovedbeforetheyturnintocancer.Screeningalsohelpsfindcolorectalcanceratanearlystage,whentreatmentworksbest.Aboutnineoutofevery10peoplewhosecolorectalcancersarefoundearlyandtreatedappropriatelyarestillalivefiveyearslater.Ifyouare50yearsoldorolder,getscreenednow.Ifyouthinkyoumaybeatincreasedriskforcolorectalcancer,speakwithyourdoctor aboutwhentobeginscreening,whichtestisrightforyou,andhowoftentogettested.WhatIsColorectalCancer?Colorectalcanceriscancerthatoccursinthecolonorrectum.Sometimesitiscalledcoloncancer,forshort.WhatAretheRiskFactorsforColorectalCancer?Yourriskofgettingcolorectalcancerincreasesasyougetolder,andthereareotherriskfactors.WhatCanIDotoReduceMyRiskofColorectalCancer?Themosteffectivewaytoreduceyourriskofcolorectalcancerisbyhavingregularcolorectalcancerscreeningtestsbeginningatage50.WhatAretheSymptomsofColorectalCancer?Colorectalcancerdoesn'talwayscausesymptoms,especiallyatfirst.Seealistofpossiblesymptoms.WhatShouldIKnowAboutScreening?Screeningtestscanfindprecancerouspolyps,sothattheycanberemovedbeforetheyturnintocancer.Screeningtestscanalsofindcolorectalcancerearly,whentreatme