The diagnosis and management of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK after breast and lung cancer , with approximately 40,000 new cases registered each year . Occurrence of colorectal cancer is strongly related to age, with almost three-quarters of cases occurring in people aged 65 or over . Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Around half of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer survive for at least 5 years after diagnosis. The guideline will assume that prescribers will use a drug's summary of product characteristics to inform decisions made with individual patients.