Colon Cancer Statistics
According to the American Cancer Society estimates, 102,900 cases of colon cancer are estimated for for 2010 in the United States. Women are expected to contract the disease more than men; a change from 2006 when men had a slightly higher rate then women. Colon cancer statistics show that an estimated 53,430 women and 49,470 men will contract colon cancer in 2010.
Statistics
Statistics for 2006, showed that 70,270 men and 68,857 women were diagnosed with colon cancer. These statistics are the most recent accounting of the disease. Of the 139,127 people diagnosed with the disease, 26,801 men died and 26,395 women died from colorectal cancer.
Age
The National Cancer Institute reports that between 2003 and 2006, the median age to contract colon cancer was 70 years of age. Statistics by age are;
- 0.1% under the age of 20
- 1.1% 20 to 34
- 3.8% between 35 and 44
- 12.4% between 45 and 54
- 19.2% between 55 and 64
- 24.4% between 65 and 74
- 26.8% 75 to 84
- 12.2% 85 and older
Race
African-Americans tend to have more incidences of colon cancer then other races. The men were reported to suffer from the disease at a rate of 68.1, compared to caucasian men at 54.4 . Women showed the same rate of incidence with African-American women diagnosed with colon cancer at a rate of 52.6 , and 40.9 for caucasian women. All statistics are based on 100,000 people per group.
The statistics for other minority groups are:
- Asian Pacific Islander: Men - 45.5 Women - 34.l2
- American Indian/Alaska Native: Men - 43.4 Women - 40.4
- Hispanic: Men - 44.5 Women - 31.6
Geography
Some states report higher incidences of colon cancer than others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incidence rates per 100,000 people are the highest in the following states: Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. These states have an incidence rate between 48.8 percent to 54.8 percent.
The lowest incidences of colon cancer are found in California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Idaho, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Incidence rates in these states are 35.6 percent to 43.44 percent.
The remaining states had rates between 43.5 percent and 49.7 percent.
Mortality
Between 2003 and 2007, 17.6 percent of those diagnosed with the disease died from colon cancer. The highest death rate was among people over 75 years of age at 39 percent. No deaths were reported under the age of 20, and only .6 percent were reported between the ages of 20 and 34. Between the ages of 35 and 44, 3.8 percent succumbed to the disease. For those that were 45 to 54, the mortality rate was 19.2 percent. The incidence of death between the ages of 55 and 64 was 24.4 percent, and 65 to 74 was 26.8 percent.
The states with highest mortality rates from colon cancer are: Alabama, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, with rates between 18.6 percent and 22.4 percent.
The lowest death rates were found in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington, with mortality rates between 12.6 percent to 15.7 percent.
Interestingly, the District of Columbia has one of the lowest incident rates of colon cancer in the United States, but one of the highest rates of mortality from the disease.
Gathering statistical information allows the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to create programs for early detection of colon cancer in 25 states and 4 tribes for low income people.
References
American Cancer Society: Colorectal Cancer
https://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ColonandRectumCancer/DetailedGuide/colorectal-cancer-key-statistics
CDC: Colorectal Cancer Statistics
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/statistics/
National Cancer Institute: SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Colon and Rectum
