Indicator Profile of Colorectal Cancer Deaths
Why Is This Important?
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. When national cancer-related deaths are estimated separately for males and females, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death behind lung and breast cancer for females and behind lung and prostate cancer for males. Deaths from colorectal cancer can be substantially reduced when precancerous polyps are detected early and removed. When colorectal cancer is diagnosed early, 90% of patients survive at least five years(1).Several scientific organizations recommend that routine screening for colorectal cancer begin at age 50 for adults at average risk. Persons at high risk may need to begin screening at a younger age. Routine screening can include either annual fecal occult blood test (FOBT), and/or flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years or colonoscopy every 10 years or double-contrast barium enema every 5 to 10 years. A randomized clinical trial has demonstrated that annual screening with FOBT can reduce colorectal cancer deaths by 33 percent in individuals over age 50(2). The National Cancer Institute advises each individual to discuss risk factors and screening options with his or her health care provider. Medicare and many insurance plans now help to pay for colorectal cancer screening.
Data Notes
ICD-9 codes used to define colorectal cancer: 153-154; ICD-10 codes used to define colorectal cancer: C18-C21. Age-adjusted to U.S. 2000 standard population.Data Sources
Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health; Population Estimates: Utah Governor's Office of Planning and Budget; National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;Other Views
- by Age and Sex, Utah, 2004-2008
- by Local Health District, Utah, 2004-2008
- by Small Area, Utah, 2004-2008
- by Ethnicity, Utah, 2000-2006
- by Race, Utah, 2000-2006
Definition
The rate of death from cancer of the colon or rectum among Utah or U.S. residents per 100,000 persons.How We Calculated the Rates
| Numerator: | The number of deaths due to colorectal cancer among Utah or U.S. residents for a given time period (ICD-10: C18-C21). |
| Denominator: | The population in Utah or the U.S. for a given time period. |
Page Content Updated On 10/07/09,
Published on 10/27/09
