Colorectal cancer, which includes cancers of the colon and rectum, is the third most common cancer in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancers will be diagnosed in 2007.

The good news is that deaths from colorectal cancer are declining due to increased awareness and screenings help to catch the disease in its earliest and most curable stages, according to Stephen Shibata, MD, director of the gastrointestinal oncology program at City of Hope. “In addition to screening,” he says, “it’s important to know risk factors an...