Survival Rates for Colorectal Cancer
Survival rates can give you an idea of what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed. They can’t tell you how long you will live, but they may help give you a better understanding of how likely it is that your treatment will be successful.
Keep in mind that survival rates are estimates and are often based on previous outcomes of large numbers of people who had a specific cancer, but they can’t predict what will happen in any particular person’s case. These statistics can be confusing and may lead you to have more questions. Talk with your doctor about how these numbers may apply to you, as he or she is familiar with your situation.
What is a 5-year relative survival rate?
A relative survival rate compares people with the same type and stage of cancer to people in the overall population. For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific stage of colon or rectal cancer is 80%, it means that people who have that cancer are, on average, about 80% as likely as people who don’t have that cancer to live for at least 5 years after being diagnosed.
Where do these numbers come from?
The American Cancer Society relies on information from the SEER* database, maintained by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), to provide survival statistics for different types of cancer.
The SEER database tracks 5-year relative survival rates for colon and rectal cancer in the United States, based on how far the cancer has spread. The SEER database, however, does not group cancers by AJCC TNM stages (stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, etc.). Instead, it groups cancers into localized, regional, and distant stages:
- Localized: There is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the colon or rectum.
- Regional: The cancer has spread outside the colon or rectum to nearby structures or lymph nodes.
- Distant: The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body such as the liver, lungs, or distant lymph nodes.
5-year relative survival rates for colon cancer
These numbers are based on people diagnosed with cancers of the colon between 2009 and 2015.
SEER stage |
5-year relative survival rate |
Localized |
90% |
Regional |
71% |
Distant |
14% |
All SEER stages combined |
63% |
5-year relative survival rates for rectal cancer
These numbers are based on people diagnosed with cancers of the rectum between 2009 and 2015.
SEER stage |
5-year relative survival rate |
Localized |
89% |
Regional |
71% |
Distant |
15% |
All SEER stages combined |
67% |
Understanding the numbers
- These numbers apply only to the stage of the cancer when it is first diagnosed. They do not apply later on if the cancer grows, spreads, or comes back after treatment.
- These numbers don’t take everything into account. Survival rates are grouped based on how far the cancer has spread, but your age, overall health, how well the cancer responds to treatment, whether the cancer started on the left or right side of the colon, and other factors can also affect your outlook.
- People now being diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer may have a better outlook than these numbers show. Treatments improve over time, and these numbers are based on people who were diagnosed and treated at least five years earlier.
*SEER = Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2020. Atlanta, Ga: American Cancer Society; 2020.
Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, et al (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2016, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2016/, based on November 2018 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER website, April 2019.
Petrelli F, Tomasello G, Borgonovo K, Ghidini M, Turati L, Dallera P, et al. Prognostic Survival Associated With Left-Sided vs Right-Sided Colon Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Oncol. 2017 Feb 1;3(2):211-219. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.4227.
Last Medical Review: June 29, 2020 Last Revised: June 29, 2020
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging
- Can Colorectal Polyps and Cancer Be Found Early?
- American Cancer Society Guideline for Colorectal Cancer Screening
- Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests
- Insurance Coverage for Colorectal Cancer Screening
- Colorectal Cancer Signs and Symptoms
- Tests to Diagnose and Stage Colorectal Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer Stages
- Survival Rates for Colorectal Cancer
- Questions to Ask About Colorectal Cancer