What is Colorectal Cancer?

The term “colorectal cancer” actually refers to cancer either of the colon or of the rectum. The colon and rectum are both parts of the large intestine. The large intestine is the lower part of the digestive tract between the small intestine and anus. The colon is the first and main part of the large intestine. It absorbs water and nutrients from the partially digested food coming from the small intestine and forms stool from the waste products. The rectum is the last part of the large intestine. Its job is to store the waste (stool) arriving from the colon before it is pushed out of the body through the anus. Almost all colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas, meaning they form in the glandular cells that line the inner layer of the large intestine. Over time, colorectal cancer can grow through deeper layers of tissue in the large intestine and spread through the bloodstream or lymph system to distant parts of the body, most often the liver or lungs.