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ABSTRACT Colorectal cancer had a low incidence several decades ago. However, it has become a predominant cancer and now accounts for approximately 10% of cancer-related mortality in western

countries. The ‘rise’ of colorectal cancer in developed countries can be attributed to the increasingly ageing population, unfavourable modern dietary habits and an increase in risk factors,

such as smoking, low physical exercise and obesity. New treatments for primary and metastatic colorectal cancer have emerged, providing additional options for patients; these treatments

include laparoscopic surgery for primary disease, more-aggressive resection of metastatic disease (such as liver and pulmonary metastases), radiotherapy for rectal cancer, and neoadjuvant

and palliative chemotherapies. However, these new treatment options have had limited impact on cure rates and long-term survival. For these reasons, and the recognition that colorectal

cancer is long preceded by a polypoid precursor, screening programmes have gained momentum. This Primer provides an overview of the current state of the art of knowledge on the epidemiology

and mechanisms of colorectal cancer, as well as on diagnosis and treatment. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your

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* Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS COLORECTAL LIVER METASTASIS: MOLECULAR MECHANISM AND

INTERVENTIONAL THERAPY Article Open access 04 March 2022 A RISK-STRATIFIED APPROACH TO COLORECTAL CANCER PREVENTION AND DIAGNOSIS Article 16 October 2020 ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PREDIAGNOSTIC

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Roentgenol._ 199, 27–34 (2012). Article  Google Scholar  Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Erasmus MC University Medical Center, s-Gravendijkwal 230,

Rotterdam, 3015, CE, The Netherlands Ernst J. Kuipers * Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA William M. Grady * Department of

Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA William M. Grady * Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Oregon Health and Science University,

Portland, Oregon, USA David Lieberman * Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany Thomas Seufferlein * Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of

Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China Joseph J. Sung * Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands Petra G. Boelens & Cornelis J. H. van de Velde * Department

of Surgical Oncology and Vascular Surgery, University of Tokyo and the University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Toshiaki Watanabe Authors * Ernst J. Kuipers View author publications You

can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * William M. Grady View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * David Lieberman View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Thomas Seufferlein View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Joseph J.

Sung View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Petra G. Boelens View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google

Scholar * Cornelis J. H. van de Velde View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Toshiaki Watanabe View author publications You can also search

for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS Introduction (E.J.K.); Epidemiology (T.W. and E.J.K.); Mechanisms/pathophysiology (W.M.G.); Diagnosis, screening and prevention (J.J.S.,

E.J.K. and D.L.); Management (P.G.B., C.J.H.v.d.V., T.S. and E.J.K.); Quality of life (E.J.K.); Outlook (All authors); Overview of the Primer (E.J.K.). CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence

to Ernst J. Kuipers. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS T.S. has received honoraria for lectures or advisory boards from Roche, Merck-Serono, Amgen and Bayer. All other authors declare

no competing interests. POWERPOINT SLIDES POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 1 POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 2 POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 3 POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 4 POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 5

POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 6 POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 7 POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR FIG. 8 RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Kuipers, E., Grady,

W., Lieberman, D. _et al._ Colorectal cancer. _Nat Rev Dis Primers_ 1, 15065 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2015.65 Download citation * Published: 05 November 2015 * DOI:

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