Clinical investigations have shown that rectal cancer occurs mainly in middle-aged and elderly people, but the incidence is gradually increasing in younger people as the environment changes. Rectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and the disease has a serious impact on human health and average life expectancy.
Colon cancer detected at an early stage is generally easier to cure. The death rate from colon cancer is now much lower than before, due to improved treatments and increased frequency of screening.
The typical 5-year survival rate for patients with rectal cancer is 65%. But survival rates for patients with rectal cancer can vary depending on a number of factors. The 5-year survival rate for patients with limited rectal cancer is 90 percent, and about 39 percent of patients with rectal cancer are diagnosed and treated effectively in the early stages. If the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues, organs or regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 71%. If the cancer has spread to other organs or important lymphatic vessels in the body, the 5-year survival rate is reduced to 14%. However, for patients with only 1 or more tumors that have spread from the colon or rectum to the lungs or liver, surgical removal of these tumors can eliminate the cancer, which also greatly improves the 5-year survival rate for patients with rectal cancer.