Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, but it doesn’t have to be. If everyone aged 45 years or older had regular screening tests, at least 60% of deaths from this cancer could be avoided. The colon, often called the rectum or bowel, comprises the greatest portion of the large intestine. As the final part of the digestive process, the colon absorbs remaining nutrients and processes waste for elimination as stool. Abnormal cells or polyps can develop in the colon or the rectum. Most polyps are harmless but some are not.
