Colorectal cancers are among the most common cancers worldwide, and there is a high mortality rate for advanced-stage disease. Approximately 132,000 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2015, and approximately 40,000 of these cases will be primary rectal cancers. The incidence and mortality rates have been steadily declining over the past two decades, largely through advances in screening and improvements in treatment. However, rectal cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide.
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