The second deadliest of cancers when the incidents in both men and women are combined. Colorectal cancer refers to cancer that originates from either the colon or rectum. The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2015 nearly 50,000 patients in the United States would die from colorectal cancer, making it the deadliest of cancers when combining the incidences in men and women. The disease is also costly with a tag of $14 billion for direct medical expenses to the US health care system in 2010. This number is projected to reach $20 billion by 2020.

There are significant efforts underway to shed additional light on the biology of the disease with the aim of developing more effective treatments and diagnostics. The purpose of this Giving Smarter Guide is to extend insights into areas of promising clinical research that could serve as the tipping point toward extending survival in colorectal cancer patients and could potentially pave the way to a cure.