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Facts on Colon Cancer Deaths

Colorectal cancer refers to cancer of the colon or rectum, and the term is sometimes referred to in the mass media simply as colon cancer. This type of cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed in the United States, and is the second leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths. (Reference 2)

  1. Total Deaths

    • Some 53,005 people died of colon cancer in the United States in 2005, the most recent year for which the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has statistics. (Reference 1)

    Death by Gender

    • The death toll from colon cancer is split evenly between males and females. In 2005, 26,781 U.S. men and 26,244 U.S. women died from colon cancer. (Reference 2)

    State Statistics

    • The male death rate from colon cancer was highest in Louisiana, where 28.5 of every 100,000 residents died from the disease during the 2001 to 2005 timeframe. The lowest death rate was in Utah, where 15.9 of every 100,000 residents died. (Reference 3)

    Fact 4 -- Female State Death Rate

    • The female death rate from colon cancer was highest in Mississippi, where 28.5 of every 100,000 residents died over the 2001 to 2005 periods. The lowest death rate was in Alaska, where 9.2 of every 100,000 residents died. (Reference 4)

    Fact 5 -- Race and Ethnicity Death Rate

    • In 2005, African-Americans were most likely to die from colon cancer, followed in descending order by Caucasians, Native Americans and Hispanics. Asians were the least likely to die from colon cancer. (Reference 5)

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