There are at least a hundred thousand cases of colon cancer diagnosed yearly in the United States. The good news, however, is that the incidence of this disease and the mortality rate has slightly decreased in recent years. This could either be a result of early colon cancer diagnosis or treatment of the disease, or a combination of both.

In the case of other cancers, tests look for small, malignant lesions. Tests for colon cancer diagnosis, however, search for pre-malignant, benign polyps. This can be almost a hundred percent effective in preventing colon cancer development. Because early colon cancer diagnosis often leads to a complete cure, it is very important, especially for those who are at high risk for colon cancer, that they get regular screening.

Metastatic cancer of the colon is the world’s third leading cause of cancer in males (after skin, prostate and lung cancer) and the fourth leading cause of cancer in females (following skin, lung and breast cancer).  An estimated 146,940 new cases of colon cancer are diagnosed every year, and more than fifty thousand deaths occur each year due to this disease.

What is metastatic colon cancer?

Metastatic colon cancer is a cancer that has spread from its primary site in the colon (the part of the digestive system where waste material is stored) to other parts of the body.