Colorectal Cancer: Epidemiology, Etiology, and Molecular Basis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease with a major worldwide burden. It is the fourth most frequently diagnosed malignancy in men and third most common in women, with almost one million people developing CRC annually.1 In the world, CRC is the third most common cause of cancer death, responsible for 639,000 deaths annually.2 In the USA, CRC is the third most common cancer in men and women and the second most common cause of cancer death overall, accounting for 11% of cancers diagnosed.3 It was estimated that 147,000 cases were diagnosed in the USA in 2009 and that there were 50,000 deaths from the disease.3