Is colorectal cancer always fatal? What are the mortality rates?
Most colon and rectal cancers originate from benign wart-like growths on the inner lining of the colon or rectum called polyps. Not all polyps have the potential to transform into cancer. Those that do are called adenomas. It takes more than 10 years in most cases for an adenoma to develop into cancer. Screening identifies cancers earlier, before symptoms develop, which dramatically improves the chance of survival. Identifying and removing polyps before they become cancerous actually prevents the development of colorectal cancer. The pathologic stage at diagnosis remains the best indicator of long-term prognosis. The most important characteristics are the presence of distant metastases, local tumor extent, nodal positivity and residual disease. Five-year survival rates vary from 93% for stage I to 8% for stage IV colon cancer. Five-year survival rates for rectal cancer tend to be somewhat lower. What sorts of screenings are available? The American College of Gastroenterology considers
