A malignancy of the colon or rectum. At some time during their lives 6% of Americans will be diagnosed with the disease. In 2008 the American Cancer Society estimated that 154,000 Americans would be newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and that it would cause 50,500 deaths. (It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.)
A malignant condition affecting the large intestine, encompassing both the colon and the rectum.
A broad term encompassing the presence of cancerous growths either within the colon or the rectum is commonly used to denote this condition.