Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Survival Factors
The stage of cancer at diagnosis also matters to survival: 90% for localized cancer (stage 1 or 2) to 14% for distant spread (stage 4). However, these are only averages and each person’s survival odds vary.
Each year, over 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer (also calledcolorectal cancer).It’s the fourth-leading cause of cancer in the United States and the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths (mortality).With advances indiagnosisandtreatment, the mortality rate has been cut in half since the mid-1980s. Today, 65% of people with colon cancer can expect to live forat leastfive years following their diagnosis; others live for far longer.
This article will cover colon cancer survival, including the statistics and how treatment has helped more people live with colon cancer for longer.
FatCamera / E+ / Getty Images
Colon Cancer Causes and Risk Factors
Factors That Influence Survival
How old you are when you’re diagnosed with colon cancer and the stage that your cancer is in are just a few of the factors that can affect your survival odds.
The SEER survival estimates only give a general picture of what to expect if you have colon cancer. The estimates are based oneveryonewith colon cancer, so the statistics may not accurately reflect what is ahead for you if you’re diagnosed.
Numerous factors can influence survival times, including the type andstage of canceras well as certain modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.
You can live a long, full life even if you have or have had colon cancer. In fact, it’s possible that medical treatment can entirely remove cancer. Some people may have their colon cancer reappear, which is why cancer survivors are recommended to visit their providers regularly after treatment is finished.
There are several factors that influence survival times. Some are things you can’t change, but there are others that you do have some control over that might affect your outcome.
Age
Your age when you’re diagnosed with colon cancer may affect your survival time and prognosis. The midpoint (median) age of a colon cancer diagnosis is 68 in men and 72 in women. However, younger people can also be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Young-onset colorectal cancer is diagnosed before a person is 50 years old, and the rate has been increasing in the last 20 years.
Researchers know that being at an older age already plays a central role in the onset of the disease. With each year older a person gets, their risk of dying from cancer increases.
According to a 2015 study,the overall five-year survival rate for people over 63 was 58.8%, dropping to 40.8% in people over age 79—a decrease of nearly 20%.
While some studies suggest that being aged 50 or older when diagnosed with colon cancer is linked to worse outcomes, other studies have found that survival odds are lower for patients who are diagnosed when they are very young (age 35 or under).To make the picture even more complex, some research has also suggested that the rates of survival are similar for younger and older colon cancer patients.
Therefore, it’s important to keep in mind that age is just one of several factors that influence survival in colon cancer.
Colon Cancer Doctor Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Download PDF
Email AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
Sign Up
Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.
There was an error. Please try again.
Surgical Resection
The surgical removal of the primary tumor (resection) can increase the odds ofremissionand reduce the likelihood of disease progression. While surgery is a primary form of colon cancer treatment, it is not the best option for everyone.
Some cancers areinoperableand cannot be removed because of their location and/or the general health of the patient. Similarly,advanced metastatic cancersare rarely treated with resection because the procedure has not been shown to improve survival times for most people.
When surgery is needed, the resection of the primary tumor can increase the overall five-year survival rate to 73.8% and reduce the risk of recurrence to just 6.4%.
In people with inoperable colon cancer, a minimally invasive approach calledstereotactic radiation therapy (SBRT)can be an alternative to surgery. Studies have shown that people who undergo SBRT forstage 4colorectal cancer have a four-year survival rate of around 43% when they also receive chemotherapy.
How Likely Is Colon Cancer Recurrence?
Performance Status
A person’sperformance status (PS)—the ability to take care of oneself and perform everyday activities—also factors into their prognosis for cancer. PS is measured in several ways. One is the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) system which classifies PS on a score of 0 (fully active) to 4 (fully disabled). Having a lower score generally means that you are less able to tolerate cancer treatments.
According to a 2017 study from Cleveland Clinic, a low, intermediate, and high PS score translates to a mortality rate of 8.1%, 11.2%, and 32.5%, respectively, within six months of the diagnosis.The researchers further concluded that PS plays a more central role in survival times than either age or co-occurring medical conditions.
Race
Race plays an indirect role in cancer survival rates because it is associated with a lack of access to quality healthcare. In the United States, the overall five-year survival rate for White patients with colon cancer is 65.4%. By contrast, Black patients have a five-year survival rate of 54.7%—nearly 9% lower than White patients.
Another factor is the higher rate of stage 4 colon cancer in Black patients, who are 20% more likely to be diagnosed after the tumor has spread (metastasized) compared to White patients.
How to Deal With Stage 4 Colon Cancer
Weight
Weight plays a role in the onset and progression of colon cancer. Beingoverweight or obesenot only contributes to the risk of the disease but can also influence outcomes after the tumor has been treated.
One study found that women diagnosed with colon cancer who hadobesity or overweight were almost twice as likely to die from cancer as women who did not.
Although the cause is poorly understood, having a highbody mass index (BMI)increases the risk ofinsulin resistance,chronic inflammation, and impaired hormone function. Each of these factors is independently linked to both the onset and progression of colon cancer.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is abiased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
Routine exercise may improve colon cancer survival, with some studies reporting anywhere from a 40% to 70% reduction in post-treatment mortality for people who get regular physical activity compared to people who do not exercise.
Smoking
Smoking affects the risk for all cancers, including colon cancer. Cigarette smoke leads to chronic inflammation and oxidative damage to DNA. These factors not only contribute to the onset of the disease but appear to increase the risk of colon cancer recurrence.
Colon cancer advances in stages. It can progress before a person knows they have it, so when a person is diagnosed, they will usually learn what stage the colon cancer is at.
Using data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, researchers can estimate the percentage of people who will survive for a specific timeframe after they are diagnosed with cancer (relative survival rate).
Typically, survival rates are described in five-year increments (five-year survival rates). This is the proportion of people who will live forat leastfive years after they’re diagnosed. SEER survival estimates are based onallpeople with a certain type of cancer, regardless of their age, general health,cancer grade, or cancer cell type.
According to SEER estimates for 2023,the five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer in the United States breaks down as follows:
Most colon cancers involve a type of cancer known asadenocarcinoma, which starts in glands and glandular tissues. There are other less common types of colon cancer, some of which are more aggressive and harder to treat.
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma accounts for around 95% of all colorectal cancers.Although SEER statistics are based largely on this type of cancer, there are rare subtypes known asmucinous adenocarcinomaandsignet-ring cell carcinomathat are more aggressive.
Mucinous adenocarcinoma starts in mucus-producing glands of the colon. Since mucus can help with the spread of cancer cells, mucinous adenocarcinoma tends to be more invasive than other types of cancer. Compared to typical adenocarcinoma, mucinous adenocarcinoma is associated with about a 20% reduction in overall survival times.
Signet-ring cell carcinoma accounts for less than 1% of colon cancers. It’s different from other cancers because of the appearance of its cells. It’s a rare kind of adenocarcinoma that tends to be very aggressive and has an overall five-year survival rate of 36.3%—roughly half of what is expected with typical adenocarcinoma.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Colon Cancer?
Sarcoma
Sarcomasare a broad category of cancers in connective tissues. The two most common types in the colon aregastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST)andleiomyosarcoma.
GIST is associated with generally worse outcomes, with an overall five-year survival rate of 46%.
GIST starts in a specific type of cell (interstitial cell) and can either be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). Of the 30% that are malignant, most occur in the stomach, small intestine, or rectum.
Leiomyosarcoma is a type of cancer of the smooth muscles, including those of the colon and rectum. They are very rare, accounting for less than 0.1% of all colon cancers, and have an overall five-year survival rate of 43.8%.
Lymphoma
Primary colorectal lymphoma is a type ofnon-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)affecting a type of white blood cell called alymphocyte. UnlikeHodgkin lymphoma (HL)—which typically progresses in an orderly fashion through thelymphatic system—NHL can develop in any part of the body, including the colon.
Primary colorectal lymphomas account for just 0.5% of all colorectal cancers and around 5% of all lymphomas. They tend to be associated with worse outcomes, in part because they are hard to diagnose. Data suggests that the overall five-year survival rate for primary colorectal lymphoma is 56.4%.
Melanoma
Melanomais mostly known as a type of skin cancer but can affect any cell that makes the pigment melanin. Thesecells (melanocytes) can also be found in the gastrointestinal tract. In rare cases, they can lead to primary colorectal melanoma.
Summary
With newer, improved diagnostics and treatments, some people with colon cancer are living longer than their providers expected at first. Rather than focusing on survival times, try to focus on what you can do to have a better quality of life. You can also talk to your provider about thelatest treatmentsandtreatment approachesfor colon cancer and explore what’s right for you.
How Colon Cancer Is Diagnosed
35 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cheng E, Blackburn HN, Ng K, et al.Analysis of survival among adults with early-onset colorectal cancer in the national cancer database. 2021;4(6):e2112539-e2112539. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.12539
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.Survival similar for younger and older patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, study finds.
National Cancer Institute Surveillance,Cancer fact sheet: Colorectal cancer.
Colorectal Cancer Alliance.Colorectal cancer facts and statistics.
Siegel RL, Nikita Sandeep Wagle, Cercek A, Smith RA, Jemal A.Colorectal cancer statistics, 2023. 2023;73(3):233-254. doi:10.3322/caac.21772
American Cancer Society.Living as a colorectal cancer survivor.
Mauri G, Sartore-Bianchi A, Russo AG, Marsoni S, Bardelli A, Siena S.Early‐onset colorectal cancer in young individuals.Mol Oncol. 2019;13(2):109-31. doi:10.1002/1878-0261.12417
Van Eeghen EE, Bakker SD, van Bochove A, Loffeld RJLF.Impact of age and comorbidity on survival in colorectal cancer.J Gastrointest Oncol. 2015;6(6):605-12. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2015.070
AlZaabi A, AlHarrasi A, AlMusalami A, et al.Early onset colorectal cancer: Challenges across the cancer care continuum.Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2022;82:104453. Published 2022 Aug 22. doi:10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104453
American Cancer Society.Colon cancer surgery.
Sudo M, Furuya S, Shimizu H, et al.Long-term outcomes after surgical resection in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer: A retrospective study of 129 patients at a single institution.World J Surg Onc.2019;17,56. doi:10.1186/s12957-019-1599-3
Fatemi SZ, Pourhouseingholi MA, Asadi F, et al.Recurrence and five -year survival in colorectal cancer patients after surgery.Iran J Cancer Prev. 2015;8(4):e3439. doi:10.17795/ijcp.3439
Tam SY, Wu VWC.A review on the special radiotherapy techniques of colorectal cancer.Front Oncol.2019;9:208. doi:10.3389/fonc.2019.00208
Rocha LSDS, Riechelmann RP.Treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and poor performance status: current evidence and challenges.Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2018;73(suppl 1):e542s. Published 2018 Sep 21. doi:10.6061/clinics/2018/e542s
Sohal DPS, Kuderer NM, Shepherd FA, et al.Clinical predictors of early mortality in colorectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: Results from a global prospective cohort study.JNCI Cancer Spectrum.2017;1(1):pkx009. doi:10.1093/jncics/pkx009
Mandic M, Fatemeh Safizadeh, Niedermaier T, Hoffmeister M, Brugger H.Association of overweight, obesity, and recent weight Loss with colorectal cancer risk. 2023;6(4):e239556-e239556. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9556
Boyle T, Fritschi L, Platell C, et al.Lifestyle factors associated with survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis.Br J Cancer.2013;109,814-22. doi:10.1038/bjc.2013.310
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.BMI a poor metric for measuring people’s health, experts say.
Walter V, Jansen L, Hoffmeister M, Ulrich A, Chang-Claude J, Brenner H.Smoking and survival of colorectal cancer patients: Population-based study from Germany.Int J Cancer.2015;137(6):1433-45. doi:10.1002/ijc.29511
Walter V, Jansen L, Brenner H.Smoking and survival of colorectal cancer patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Oncol. 2014;25(8):1517-25. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdu040
Ordonez-Mena JM, Walter M, Schottker B, Trichopoulou A, Brenner H.Impact of prediagnostic smoking and smoking cessation on colorectal cancer prognosis: A-analysis of individual patient data from cohorts within the CHANCES consortium.Ann Oncol.2018;29(2):472-83. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdx761
Fight Colorectal Cancer.Colorectal cancer survival rates.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Stages of colon cancer.
Rawla P, Sunkara T, Barsouk A.Epidemiology of colorectal cancer: Incidence, mortality, survival, and risk factors.Prz Gastroenterol. 2019;14(2):89-103. doi:10.5114/pg.2018.81072
Luo C, Cen S, Ding G, Wu W.Mucinous colorectal adenocarcinoma: Clinical pathology and treatment options.Cancer Commun (Lond).2019;39: 3. doi:10.1186/s40880-019-0361-0
Yang LL, Wang M, He P.Clinicopathological characteristics and survival in colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma: A population-based study.Sci Rep.2020;10:10460. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-67388-6
Cooper CR, Scully BF, Lee-Kong S.Colorectal sarcoma: More than a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;3:42. Published 2018 Jul 16. doi:10.21037/tgh.2018.07.05
Kameyama H, Kanda T, Tajima Y, et al.Management of rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor.Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;3:8. doi:10.21037/tgh.2018.01.08
Cooper CR, Scully BF, Lee-Kong S.Colorectal sarcoma: More than a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol.2018;3:42. doi:10.21037/tgh.2018.07.05
Pandey M, Jyoti Ranjan Swain, Hema Malini Iyer, Shukla M.Primary lymphoma of the colon: Report of two cases and review of literature. 2019;17(1). doi:10.1186/s12957-018-1548-6
Li M, Zhang S, Gu F, et al.Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors of primary gastrointestinal lymphoma: a 22-year experience from South China.Int J Clin Exp Pathol. 2014;7(5):2718-28.
Raja J, Hegde R, Srodon M, Annamika Katoch, Kurtzman SH, Zhang Z.A case of primary melanoma of the transverse colon. Published online October 26, 2017. doi:10.7759/cureus.1803
Tomioka K, Ojima H, Sohda M, et al.Primary malignant melanoma of the rectum: Report of two cases.Case Rep Surg.2012;2012:247348. doi:10.1155/2012/247348
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
