What is CRC?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    CRC — which occurs when tumors form in the lining of the large intestine — is the third most common type of cancer in the world, and the second leading cause of cancer-related death.[1] Like other digestive cancers, the risk of developing CRC is higher in people who smoke, drink alcohol, are sedentary, or have obesity. Other risk factors include old age, a family history of CRC, a personal history of CRC or high-risk adenomas (polyps made of abnormal cells), or having inflammatory bowel disease. The prognosis for CRC depends on the patient’s general health, whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body or blocked the colon, and whether cancerous cells remain after treatment.[2]