Every year around 140,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer — about 100,000 with colon cancer and 40,000 with rectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer; the rate of successful treatment is high, especially when the cancer is diagnosed and treated early. Although the exact cause of colorectal cancer is unknown, most of these cancers are believed to develop from small growths or polyps that are usually present within the colon for years before they evolve into cancer. Identification and removal of these polyps through colorectal cancer screening can largely prevent the development of colorectal cancer.
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Expert Care at Brigham and Women's Hospital and
the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center
Brigham and Women's Hospital provides expert care in preventing, diagnosing, and treating colorectal cancer. For more information or to make an appointment for diagnosis or treatment, please contact us at 1-800-BWH-9999 or 1-877-DFCI-BWH, or fill out the on-line form.
Please talk to your primary care physician about arranging a colonoscopy.