Digestive Statistics

Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States.

Here are some statistics on colon cancer:

• 106,100 new cases of colon cancer (52,010 in men and 54,090 in women)
• 40,000+ new cases of rectal cancer per year(23,000+ in men and 17,000+ in women)
• 655,000 deaths worldwide per year
• More than 145,000 new cases are diagnosed each year
• More than 49,000 people die from colon cancer each year
• Fifth most common form of cancer in the United States
• Third leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world
• Survival rates for early stage detection is about 5 times that of late stage cancers
• Lifetime risk of developing colon cancer in the United States is about 7%
• Lifetime risk for developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 19 (5.3%)
• Men are at a slightly higher risk for developing colon cancer than women
• Stage 0 colorectal cancer is nearly always survivable when found at that stage
• Stage 1 colorectal cancer is is 95 percent survivable when treated during stage 1
• Stage 2 colorectal cancer is is 60 percent survivable when treated during stage 2
• Stage 4 colorectal cancer usually can not be survived, with only a 3% survival rate
• Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-death in America
• Women who smoke are more than 40% more likely to die from colorectal cancer than women who never had smoked
• Male smokers are more than a 30% more likely to die from the disease compared to men who had never smoked

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States when men and women are considered separately, and the second leading cause when both sexes are combined. It is expected to cause about 49,920 deaths (25,240 in men and 24,680 in women) during 2009.

The death rate (the number of deaths per 100,000 people per year) from colorectal cancer has been dropping for more than 20 years. There are a number of likely reasons for this. One is that polyps are being found by screening and removed before they can develop into cancers. Screening is also allowing more colorectal cancers to be found earlier when the disease is easier to cure. In addition, treatment for colorectal cancer has improved over the last several years. As a result, there are now more than 1 million survivors of colorectal cancer in the United States.

Statistics of Diverticulosis

About 10% of the US population over the age of 40 and half over the age of 60 has Diverticulosis. It is the most common cause for rectal bleeding in US adults over the age of 40 years.

Studies have identified dietary factors as potential explanations for the large variation in the disease. High intake of fiber, fruits and vegetables, and brown bread was associated with approximately 40-50% reductions in the risk.

On the other hand, higher intake of both red and processed meat increased the risk 2-4 fold in two studies, while a third study found a 24-fold increase in the risk with higher total meat intake.

There is lower risk among vegetarians.

Statistics on Gas

• Most people produce up to four pints of gas a day.
• Most people pass gas or belch more than 20 times each day.
• About 4% of stomach ulcers are caused by a malignant tumor.

Peptic Ulcer Statistics

• The most common cause of melena (black and tarry stool) is peptic ulcer disease.
• As many as 80% of ulcers are associated with Helicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped bacterium in the stomach.

Gastric Ulcer Statistics

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Statistics

• Occurs mostly in women
• Tends to begin during adolescence

Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD)

• More than 600,000 Americans have some kind of inflammatory bowel disease every year

Ulcerative Colitis Statistics

Crohn's Disease Statistics

• About 20 percent of people with Crohn's disease have a blood relative with some form of inflammatory bowel disease
• Crohn's is more often diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 30
• People of Jewish heritage have an increased risk of developing Crohn's
• African Americans are at decreased risk of developing Crohn's

Heartburn Statistics

• More than one third of the population is afflicted by heartburn
• One tenth of the population is affected daily

Appendix Problems Statistics

• 1 in 15 people get appendicitis in the U.S.
• Appendicitis is rare under age 2
• Appendicitis is most common between ages 10 and 30
• Approximately 8 out of 100 people will get appendicitis sometime during their lives
• Appendicitis is less common in people who eat foods high in fiber

Liver Disease Statistics

• Liver Cirrhosis (type of liver disease) is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States

Men vs. Women Digestion

Men tend to be more susceptible to digestive problems, especially colon cancer. Women on the other hand, can have poop problems due to menopause. Lean more about female and girl poop

Hemorrhoid Statistics

• Hemorrhoids commonly occur after 50 and can bleed and cause red poop
• Hemorrhoids are common in pregnancy

Mouth (Oral) Cancer Statistics

• Approximately 36,000 Americans are annually diagnosed with mouth and oral cancer
• Mouth (oral) cancer will cause approximately 8,000 deaths
• Of all the people diagnosed with mouth (oral) cancer, only slightly more than half will live over 5 years
• Including cancer of the larynx, number of cases grows to approximately 50,000 individuals, and 13,500 deaths per year in the US alone, with 640,000 new cases found annually