Chronic Disease Prevention
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of mortality in Ontario. In 1998, CRC ranked as the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Observational studies have defined a number of modifiable risk factors for CRC, including diets high in saturated fat, low in vegetables, low in high-fiber grains and physical inactivity. Approximately one-half of CRC has been attributed to diet.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer site, behind lung and prostate in males and lung and breast in females. In 1998, Cancer Care Ontario estimated that CRC made up 11.9% of all cancers for women and 14.2% for men. For most age groups, the number of cases and deaths in men exceeds that in women. The incidence (new cases) of CRC does not start to rise until after age 40-45; then mortality rates increase rapidly after age 55.
In Leeds Grenville and Lanark (LGL), CRC accounted for 6% of all new male cancers and 4% of all new female cancers in 1995. The rate of new CRCs between 1992-1995 fell to 35.8 cases per 100,000 men, and 22.6 cases per 100,000 women, from rates that were twice as high between 1986-1991 (see figure 1). Furthermore, when new cases of CRC in LGL are compared to those in Ontario, rates in LGL are significantly lower in both males (see figure 2) and females (see figure 3).
Despite the large decreases in the incidence rates of colorectal cancer, mortality from the disease has reduced at a much slower rate. Since 1981 mortality due to colorectal cancer has decreased by about 22% compared to the 62% decrease in incidence (see figure 4). Despite the decrease in mortality from colorectal cancer in LGL, mortality rates are very similar to those among all residents in Ontario (see figure 5).
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