Colorectal cancer is cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. Sometimes it is called colon cancer, for short. As the drawing shows, the colon is the large intestine or large bowel. The rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus.
Sometimes abnormal growths, called polyps, form in the colon or rectum. Over time, some polyps may turn into cancer. Screening tests can find polyps so they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads to a cure.
什麼是結直腸癌？結直腸癌是指癌症發生在結腸或直腸， 簡稱為結腸癌。 如下圖所示， 結腸是大腸， 直腸是連接結腸與肛門的通路。
有時結腸或直腸的異常增生稱為息肉。 隨著時間的推移， 一些息肉可能進展為癌症。 篩查試驗可以發現息肉， 在轉化為癌症之前就可以切除。 篩查也有助於發現早期結直腸癌， 此階段開始治療通常可治癒。