Colorectal cancer. Can we lower the death rate in the 1990s?

Colorectal cancer is second only to lung cancer in the number of lives it claims annually, yet it is a curable cancer. Early detection is possible in high-risk individuals. The risk for colorectal cancer almost doubles every 7 years in patients older than 50. The authors review the epidemiology and site distribution of colorectal cancer, compare available diagnostic techniques, and consider the cost effectiveness of screening. Barium enema and endoscopy are recommended diagnostic tests, but expensive colonoscopy does not appear to be justified for screening.