2.1
Colorectal cancer (cancer arising in the lining of the colon or rectum) is the third most common cancer in the UK. Almost 30,000 new cases were registered in England and Wales in 2002, representing over 12% of all new cancer cases. The incidence of colorectal cancer increases with age. In people between the ages of 45 and 49 years, the incidence is about 20 per 100,000. In those aged 75 and older, the annual incidence is over 300 cases per 100,000 men and over 200 cases per 100,000 women.