ABSTRACT
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Each year approximately 130,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease and 50,000 will die of it (1). The cumulative lifetime risks of CRC and mortality from CRC are approximately 3% to 6% and 2%, respectively. The majority of CRCs occur in individuals over 60 years old, who have no previous personal or family history of the disease. Although the major risk factors for these sporadic cases are advancing age and environmental exposures, most importantly diet, approximately 20% to 25% of CRCs are in younger individuals or in those people with a personal or family history of cancer, suggesting a heritable susceptibility (2).
