Is this topic for you? This topic will tell you about the
initial testing, diagnosis, and treatment of colorectal cancer.
If you want to learn about colorectal cancer that has come back
or has spread, see the topic Reference Colorectal Cancer,
Metastatic or Recurrent. What is colorectal cancer? Colorectal
cancer happens when cells that are not normal grow in your
Reference colon or rectum Opens New Window Reference Opens New
Window. These cells grow together and form polyps. Over time,
some polyps can turn into cancer. This cancer is also called
colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer is.
It is the third most common cancer in the United States. And it
occurs most often in people older than 50. As with other
cancers, treatment for colorectal cancer works best when the
cancer is found early. Screening tests can detect or prevent
this cancer, but only about half of people older than 50 are
screened. According to the American Cancer Society, if everyone
were tested, tens of thousands of lives