What is colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the lining of the colon (large intestine) or rectum. It’s one of the most common types of cancer worldwide and it can lead to serious illness and death. Many people with colorectal cancer have no symptoms in the early stages, so it’s important to get regular screening tests. These tests can find cancer before it causes any symptoms and help to find it when it is easier to treat.

Doctors aren’t sure what causes most colon cancers, but they know that cells in the colon can develop changes in their DNA. These changes may cause the cells to grow faster than normal and make more cancer cells. The cancer cells can then break away from the colon and spread to other parts of the body. When this happens, it’s called metastatic colon cancer.

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The risk of getting colorectal cancer increases with age. Most cases of colorectal cancer occur in people over the age of 50. It’s also more likely to happen if you have a family history of the disease. Other factors that can increase the risk include eating a diet high in processed meat and red meat, being sedentary, smoking or drinking too much alcohol. Certain medical conditions, like inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) and diabetes, can also increase your risk.

If you’re at an average or higher risk for colon cancer, talk to your healthcare provider about how often you should be screened and what kind of screening test is right for you. You should start getting screenings at age 45 and continue to screen every 10 years.