Colon Cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers encountered in clinical practice worldwide. Over 1.8 million new colorectal cancer cases and 881,000 deaths are estimated to occur in 2018, and it ranks third in terms of incidence but second in terms of mortality. It is the third most common cancer in men and second in women. Traditionally, colorectal cancer has been recognized as a malignancy of the developed world with the highest incidence rates reported in parts of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America, and East Asia and the lowest rates in Africa and Southern Asia. However, recent statistics suggest a declining trend in the developed world which has been attributed largely to the adoption of best practices in cancer treatment including screening and efforts directed towards early detection. On the other hand, with increasing urbanization, economic development, growing westernization, and an increasing human development index (HDI), a sharp increase in the incidence has been noted in the developing world. Surgery forms the mainstay in the curative treatment of colon cancer. However, modern polyagent chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and the newly introduced immunotherapy significantly improve survival outcomes in the advanced and metastatic stages of the disease. This chapter deals with colon cancer, its pathogenesis, prognosis, and current standards of care.