Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the growth of abnormal cells inside the colon or rectum. This type of cancer is more common in men than women, and more common as people age. Screening for colorectal cancer (Government of Ontario) saves lives.

• by geographic area
• by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas
• by sex
• by age group
• deaths by geographic area

Colorectal cancer by geographic area

Key findings:

• In the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, there were 136 news cases of colorectal cancer in 2009.
• In 2009, the rate of colorectal cancer in the SDHU area was 49 new cases per 100,000 population.
• The annual colorectal cancer rate in the SDHU area has been similar to northeastern Ontario, yet in general both the rates in the SDHU area and northeastern Ontario have been consistently higher than that in Ontario.
• Between 2000 and 2009, colorectal cancer rates in the SDHU area have generally decreased.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 1991 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, colorectal cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Table: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, colorectal cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Geographic Area	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU	64.7	64.6	69.5	56.2	61.4	55.8	55.9	58.4	52.8	48.9
Northeast Ontario	63.1	57.7	60.2	57.8	59.5	55.7	53.6	57	54.4	51.4
Ontario	52.3	52	50.5	48.9	50	49.3	49.1	48.8	49.1	47.3

Table: Annual number of cases, colorectal cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009

Geographic Area	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU	152	156	171	142	158	147	150	161	148	136
Northeast Ontario	450	421	449	440	461	443	439	471	461	444
Ontario	6791	6912	6924	6889	7228	7320	7481	7659	7922	7840

Colorectal cancer by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas

Key findings:

• In 2009, there were 96 new cases of colorectal cancer among residents of Greater Sudbury and 40 new cases among residents of the SDHU district office areas.
• The rate of colorectal cancer among residents of the Greater Sudbury was 42 new cases per 100,000 population, and the rate among residents of the SDHU district office areas was 79 new cases per 100,000 population in 2009.
• The rate of colorectal cancer among residents of the SDHU district office areas has generally been higher than the rate among residents of the Greater Sudbury.
• Between 2000 and 2009, the rate of colorectal cancer in residents of the SDHU district office areas has increased, while the rate among residents of Greater Sudbury has decreased.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 1991 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, colorectal cancer, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) areas, 2000–2009

Tables: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, colorectal cancer, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) areas, 2000–2009

Census Division	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU District Office Areas	49.9	60.6	80.4	60.5	74.9	49.9	84.7	59.7	72.8	78.7
Manitoulin District	56.5	70.5	113.9	63.4	60.6	52.2	71.4	77.7	84.8	79
Sudbury District	45.2	52.2	62.3	59.9	83.6	49.7	94.7	48.5	64.7	80.3
City of Greater Sudbury	68.1	65.7	66.9	54.7	58.1	57.3	49.1	58.4	48	42.3

Tables: Annual number of cases, colorectal cancer, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) areas, 2000–2009

Census Division	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU District Office Areas	23	29	39	31	38	25	44	32	41	40
Manitoulin District	10	13	21	12	12	10	15	17	19	16
Sudbury District	13	16	18	19	26	15	29	15	22	24
City of Greater Sudbury	129	127	132	111	120	122	106	129	107	96

Colorectal cancer by sex

Key findings:

• In 2009, there were 85 males and 51 females diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the SDHU area.
• In the SDHU area, the rate of colorectal cancer in 2009 was 67 new cases per 100,000 males and 33 new cases per 100,000 females.
• The rate among males has been consistently higher than the rate among females.
• Between 2000 and 2009, the rates of colorectal cancer among both males and females have generally decreased.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 1991 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, colorectal cancer, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU), 2000–2009

Table: Annual age-standardized incidence rate, colorectal cancer, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU), 2000–2009

Sex	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Both	64.7	64.6	69.5	56.2	61.4	55.8	55.9	58.4	52.8	48.9
Males	83.2	80.7	80.8	78.2	78.9	64.9	59.4	65.8	72.4	66.9
Females	50.3	51.3	59.9	38.8	46.4	47.8	52.9	50.2	35.1	33.4

Table: Annual number of cases, colorectal cancer, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU), 2000–2009

Sex	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Both	152	156	171	142	158	147	150	161	148	136
Males	88	90	91	90	93	79	73	85	94	85
Females	64	66	80	52	65	68	77	76	54	51

Colorectal cancer by age group

Key findings:

• In 2009, the highest number of colorectal cancer cases was in the 45 to 64 age group, with 49 new cases in the SDHU area. There were fewer than 6 new cases per year among people aged 0–44 years. Results, therefore, cannot be reported for this age group.
• In the SDHU area, the highest rate of colorectal cancer was in the 75 and over age group, with 307 new cases per 100,000 population in 2009. There were fewer than 6 cases per year in the 0–44 year age group each year from 2000 to 2009.
• The rate of colorectal cancer increases with age.
• Between 2000 and 2009, colorectal cancer rates have decreased substantially in both the 45–64 year and 75+ year age group, with some annual fluctuations.
• The rate in the 45–64 year age group also appears to have decreased slightly over that period.

Notes:

• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual Incidence Rate, Colorectal Cancer, by Age Group, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) Area, 2000–2009.

Table: Annual Incidence Rate, Colorectal Cancer, by Age Group, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) Area, 2000–2009.

Age at Diagnosis	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
45-64	110.6	121.3	102.9	111.1	103.6	86.3	76.7	97.4	89.7	81
65-74	305	293.3	352.4	242.8	269	221.4	291.2	277.8	248.1	225.6
75+	425.6	388.7	527.2	359.3	461.4	470.3	421.7	399.3	355.1	307

Table: Annual number of cases, Colorectal Cancer, by Age Group, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) Area, 2000–2009.

Age at Diagnosis	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
45-64	53	59	52	58	55	47	43	57	53	49
65-74	48	47	56	39	43	36	48	46	42	39
75+	45	43	61	42	56	59	55	54	49	42

Colorectal cancer deaths by geographic area

Key findings:

• In the SDHU area, there were 73 deaths from colorectal cancer in 2009.
• In 2009, the colorectal cancer mortality rate in the SDHU area was 26 deaths per 100,000 population.
• The colorectal cancer mortality rate in the SDHU area has been similar to that in northeastern Ontario most years from 2000–2009.
• Between 2000 and 2009, the colorectal cancer mortality rate in the SDHU area has been fairly stable.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 1991 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Ontario Cancer Registry and Population Estimates, Cancer Care Ontario, SEER*Stat, Oct. 2012 release.

Figure: Annual age-standardized mortality rate, colorectal cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009.

Table: Annual age-standardized mortality rate, colorectal cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009.

Geographic Area	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU	23.1	20.1	30.9	23.6	21.9	24.3	19.9	21.5	23.6	25.9
Northeast Ontario	24	23.1	26.7	22.4	24	22.5	21	21.1	22.6	24.3
Ontario	22.4	21.2	21.9	20.8	20.6	20.7	19.2	19	18.7	18

Table: Annual number of mortality cases, colorectal cancer, by geographic area, 2000–2009.

Geographic Area	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
SDHU	53	48	75	60	55	64	54	60	68	73
Northeast Ontario	171	167	199	172	187	180	176	180	197	214
Ontario	2950	2891	3054	2985	3051	3162	3025	3104	3141	3130

 

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This item was last modified on June 27, 2019