Colorectal cancer: UK and international data

Incidence of, and mortality from, colorectal cancer is higher in Scotland than in many other parts of the UK. The UK Cancer e-Atlas is an interactive tool which provides a way of viewing cancer incidence and mortality statistics for the UK.

Incidence of colorectal cancer is higher in the UK and other western countries, than in the rest of the world (2012 data). The World Health Organization's Cancer Today website is an interactive atlas that allows worldwide comparisons of cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence.

Incidence rates of colorectal cancer for Scotland fall within the mid-upper range of rates for other countries that have data available for comparison (Curado et al, 2007). Further information regarding mortality trends and colorectal cancer can be found in the report Scottish Mortality in a European Context.

The proportion of patients surviving at least five years after their colorectal cancer diagnosis, for those diagnosed during 2000-2007, was lower in Scotland than in many other European countries (view chart (39KB)). However, it is important to note that some countries do not have complete coverage by cancer registration. It should not be assumed that survival differences between countries necessarily reflect differences in the quality of care since there are many other potential explanations. For example, there is some evidence that patients in the UK may present with more advanced disease (Gatta et al, 2000). Historically, there is some evidence of variation in outcome from colorectal cancer within Scotland (McArdle and Hole, 2002), although a more recent analysis of cancer registry data did not find that the residents of any health board had significantly lower survival than average (NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, 2005).