US Pharm. 2021;46(12):14.
According to U.S. Cancer Statistics data for 2018, the incidence of colorectal cancer was 30.3% higher in men (41.7 per 100,000 population) than in women (32 per 100,000 population). The highest incidence was among African Americans (40.4), and there were 11.4% fewer cases among whites (35.8). In addition, 16% more cases occurred among Hispanics (32.3) compared with Asian/Pacific Islanders (27.8); this rate was slightly higher than that for American Indian/Alaska Natives (25.7). Although the incidence rate exceeded the mortality rate across races and ethnicities, the smallest difference was among African Americans, whose incidence rate was approximately 1.4 times higher than the mortality rate, and the largest difference was among Asian/Pacific Islanders, whose incidence rate was 2.1-fold higher than their mortality rate.
Incidence by Age: Incidence rates of colorectal cancer rose with age progression. For persons in the age ranges of 30 to 34 years and 50 to 54 years, there was a mean increase of 75.6% in the number of new cases of colorectal cancer per 100,000 population. Among persons older than 54 years, the rate of increase was significantly less, varying between 23% and 31%. The lowest increase in incidence rate (8%) occurred between the age groups 80 to 84 years and 85 years or older.
Five-Year Survival: The 5-year survival rate for colorectal cancer was greater for females (64.5%) than for males (62.6%). However, from the ages of 55 to 74 years and 45 to 54 years, 5-year survival increased to 65.5% and 70.7%, respectively. White persons (63.8%) had an 8.3% increased 5-year survival rate compared with African American persons (58.9%). There was an 6.8% increased 5-year survival among white females (64.7%) compared with African American females (60.6%), and the rate was 10.2% greater for white males (62.9%) than for African American males (57.1%).
Mortality by Race/Ethnicity and Sex: Even though mortality rates for colorectal cancer were approximately 45% more common among males of all racial backgrounds, African American men had the highest mortality rate. Whereas 54% more deaths occurred in African American males (21.3 per 100,000) than in their female counterparts (13.8 per 100,000), the greatest difference (66.7%) between males (14 per 100,000) and females (8.4 per 100,000) occurred among Hispanic persons. The smallest difference (36%) in mortality rates was between male (11.7 per 100,000) and female (8.6 per 100,000) Asian/Pacific Islanders.
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