Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer is cancer that develops in the colon (the longest part of the large intestine) and/or the rectum (the last several inches of the large intestine before the anus). In the United States, it is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. Caught early, it is often curable.

What Causes Colorectal Cancer?

Cancer occurs when a normal cell divides and multiples uncontrollably. Normally cells are regulated in their growth, maturity, division and death by the DNA present in their nucleus. With damage to the DNA the cells may become rogue and multiply uncontrollably to give rise to tumors.

Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis

Colorectal Cancer and Organ Preservation

Colorectal Cancer Prognosis

Microbial Dysbiosis and Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis

Colorectal Cancer Symptoms

Colorectal Cancer Prevention

Colorectal Cancer Management

What is Colorectal Cancer?

Latest Colorectal Cancer News and Research

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty outperforms oral semaglutide in short-term weight loss

A comparative study, presented at ESGE Days 2026, has found that endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is associated with significantly greater short-term weight loss than oral semaglutide in adults with obesity.

15 May 2026

Researchers develop pH and redox-sensitive systems to reduce immunotherapy toxicity

Although cancer immunotherapy has transformed treatment by harnessing the immune system to eliminate tumors, only a small subset of patients benefit. Many solid tumors remain "cold," characterized by poor immune cell infiltration and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB).

15 May 2026

Researchers uncover how bacterial toxin damages colon lining cells to trigger cancer

Since a landmark 2009 study, researchers have known that a common gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, drives colon tumor formation, potentially leading to colorectal cancer, by secreting a toxin that damages the lining of the colon.

8 May 2026

The importance of genetic screening for all cancer survivors

Hundreds of thousands of people diagnosed with cancer are still alive today but were never genetically tested, either because testing was not available or was not routinely offered at the time of their diagnosis. These patients are just as likely as those diagnosed today to carry a germline pathogenic variant (gPV) - a heritable genetic alteration - that increases cancer risk.

7 May 2026

Reverse ecology approach reveals hidden complexity in gut microbiome

The human gut harbors a complex ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms (the microbiome), which influences digestion, the immune system and metabolism.

7 May 2026

New immunotherapy strategy overcomes resistance in colorectal cancer treatment

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center have identified a promising new strategy to overcome resistance to immunotherapy in colorectal cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

6 May 2026

Pretargeted radioimmunotherapy shows promise for colorectal cancer treatment

A new pretargeted radioimmunotherapy (PRIT) technique has been shown to be safe and effective in eradicating tumors from a preclinical colorectal cancer model.

30 Apr 2026

Pathogens drive inflammation by reprogramming host cell metabolic processes

An intestinal pathogen reshapes the gut environment to fuel its own colonization and cause diseases, a multi-institutional team including researchers at Vanderbilt Health has discovered.

30 Apr 2026

Mailed DNA-based test for colorectal cancer screening

The use of mailed FIT-DNA kits in community health centers significantly increases colorectal cancer screening, though follow-up colonoscopy rates remain low.

30 Apr 2026

Newer mail-in stool tests increase colorectal cancer screening completion rates

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States and disproportionally impacts people who receive care in under-resourced settings.

27 Apr 2026

Rectal cancer deaths in older millennials are rising rapidly

Rectal cancer deaths among older millennials are accelerating, with growth in mortality far outpacing colon cancer, suggesting primary care doctors should fully investigate early symptoms in patients under age 45, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026.

23 Apr 2026

Study links common herbicide to rising early-onset colorectal cancer risk

Researchers used DNA methylation-based “epigenetic fingerprints” as proxies for lifelong exposome-related patterns and found that early-onset colorectal cancer was associated with lower Mediterranean diet adherence, lower education, smoking-related signatures, and higher picloram-related exposure signals. They then supported the picloram association in nine independent cohorts and with 21 years of US county-level pesticide-use data, while noting that the findings show association rather than proof of causation.

22 Apr 2026

New "plug-and-play" AI outperforms pathologists in lymph node metastasis detection

A research team led by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed a pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) pathology analysis system that can accurately recognize multiple types of cancer using only a minimal number of samples-without requiring any additional training. This breakthrough significantly enhances the flexibility and efficiency of AI-assisted medical care, marking a major step forward toward the widespread adoption of intelligent pathology.

22 Apr 2026

Why do the deadliest cancers still get less NIH research funding?

Researchers found that NIH funding for major US cancers does not consistently align with lethality, with highly fatal cancers such as pancreatic cancer and small-cell lung cancer receiving far less funding per estimated death than breast or prostate cancer. The study argues that incidence alone is not enough and that funding decisions should better incorporate mortality, survival, and mortality-to-incidence ratios.

21 Apr 2026

Chronic wildfire smoke exposure may raise long-term cancer risks

Exposure to wildfire smoke was associated with a significantly increased risk of lung, colorectal, breast, bladder, and blood cancer, according to results from a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026, held April 17-22.

21 Apr 2026

Rising colorectal cancer rates in young Swiss adults spark concern

While the incidence of colorectal cancer is decreasing among those over 50, it is rising at an alarming rate among younger individuals, sometimes as early as their thirties.

21 Apr 2026

Long-term exposure to air pollution (PM2.5) raises risk of developing cancer by 11 % and of dying from cancer by 12 %

The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), with support from the Clean Air Fund, has released a global report, Clean air in cancer control: An overview of the evidence, presenting data on the scale of cancer risk and mortality from polluted air.

21 Apr 2026

APC-deficient cancer cells rely on single enzyme for survival

A newly published study reports that APC-deficient cancer cells may depend on a single metabolic enzyme for survival, revealing a potential strategy for selectively targeting tumours associated with one of the most common mutations in colorectal cancer.

20 Apr 2026

Scientists link poor sleep to decreased chemotherapy response via the gut

Sleep deprivation has long been known to weaken the immune system. Now UF Health Cancer Institute researchers have made a startling discovery: The gut microbiota drives changes to the immune system caused by chronic sleep loss. These changes promote cancer progression, disrupt circadian rhythm and weaken the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

17 Apr 2026