While a diagnosis can feel overwhelming, colorectal cancer survival rates have improved dramatically over the past 50 years. There is also a lot you can do to shift the odds in your favor.
It’s important to understand what the numbers mean, how stage at diagnosis shapes survival and why doctors are increasingly concerned about younger adults. Whether you are 30 or 70, understanding colorectal cancer survival rates can help you make smart choices for your health.
If you’ve already received a colorectal cancer diagnosis, find an oncologist near you. To discuss your personal risk or prevention, talk to your primary care provider.
What are colorectal cancer survival rates overall?
Today, 65 percent of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are alive five years later. That is up from 50 percent in the mid-1970s – a real sign of improvement.
The five-year survival rate is a benchmark researchers use to measure progress. It tells you the percentage of people with colorectal cancer who are still alive five years after diagnosis, compared to people without the disease. It’s in no way a limit – many people live longer than five years after diagnosis.
How stage at diagnosis affects colorectal cancer survival
Stage at diagnosis is the most important factor in colorectal cancer survival.
Five-year relative survival by stage:
- Localized (cancer has not spread beyond the colon or rectum): 91.3 percent survival, meaning about 9 in 10 people are alive at five years. Right now, about 1 in 3 colorectal cancers are caught at this stage.
- Regional (spread to nearby lymph nodes or structures): 73.4 percent survival. Nearly 4 of 10 are found at the regional stage.
- Distant (spread to other organs like the liver or lungs): 15.6 percent survival. About 2 of 10 are found at this stage.
Finding cancer early dramatically improves your chances. Screening is the tool that makes that possible.
Beyond stage, other factors also shape outcomes:
- Which part of the colon the cancer started in
- Specific changes in the cancer cells
- How well the cancer responds to treatment.
While numbers are helpful, statistics cannot predict what will happen for any one person. Your care team can give you a much clearer picture of what the numbers mean for you.
Colorectal cancer survival rates by age group
Survival rates vary depending on when in life a person is diagnosed.
- Adults under 50 have a five-year survival of about 67.4 percent. Younger adults tend to have fewer other health problems and often respond well to aggressive treatment. The challenge is that cancer in most younger adults is found at a later stage.
- Adults ages 50 to 64 have the highest five-year survival at 70 percent. About 35 percent of people in this age range are diagnosed at the localized stage – earlier than any other group.
- Adults 65 and older have a five-year survival of about 60 percent. Other health conditions and differences in treatment contribute to this gap.
Colorectal cancer in young adults: A rapidly growing problem
Colorectal cancer is no longer considered a disease of older adults. It’s now the leading cause of cancer death for adults under 50. Cases rise by 3 percent each year in this age group.
Researchers don’t have a single explanation. It is most likely a mix of factors including diet, gut health, environmental exposures and lifestyle shifts over recent decades.
Why younger adults are often diagnosed later
One of the biggest barriers to better survival in young adults is delayed diagnosis.
Young adults with rectal cancer wait an average of seven months from their first symptoms to starting treatment. For patients 50 and older, that wait is about one month.
Some young adults may brush off symptoms as hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome instead of seeking a medical diagnosis. Better survival starts with taking symptoms seriously.
Signs of colorectal cancer at any age
Most people with colorectal cancer had symptoms before they were diagnosed.
Don’t ignore these:
- Blood in your stool or rectal bleeding
- A change in your bathroom habits lasting more than a few weeks – examples include narrower stools, new constipation or diarrhea or feeling like you cannot fully empty your bowels
- Ongoing belly pain or cramping
- Losing weight without trying
- Unexplained fatigue
If something feels off and it’s not going away, it is worth a conversation with your primary care provider provider. It just might save your life.
Colorectal cancer screening: Earlier detection saves lives
Screening for colorectal cancer is one of the most powerful things you can do. These screenings, such as a colonoscopy, can find cancer early or even prevent it by removing precancerous growths called polyps before they become cancer.
What to do:
- If you are 45 or older, get screened. Talk to your primary care provider about which option is right for you.
- If a parent, sibling or child has had colorectal cancer, your risk is higher. You may need to start screening at 40, or 10 years before the age your relative was diagnosed, whichever comes first.
- If you are younger than 45 and have symptoms or risk factors, don’t wait. Ask your provider directly.
How we can help
Colorectal cancer survival rates are better than most people expect – and they keep getting better. The biggest thing you can do is not wait.
Discuss your personal risk or prevention plan with your primary care provider. If you’ve already received a colorectal cancer diagnosis, find an oncologist near you.
Learn about the cancer care and oncology services we offer at Mercy Health.
