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The colorectal cancer death rate has dropped by more than 30% among U.S. adults aged 50 and older over the past 15 years, says Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, explaining that several factors have contributed to the decline.
“Screening by colonoscopy or other means has been a major factor because it enables us to diagnose colorectal cancer in its earliest stages, when it can be treated most effectively,” says Dr. Nahum, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices in the Howell, Neptune, and Toms River, NJ, offices of Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), one of the nation’s largest networks of oncology specialists RCCA has more than 20 locations near you in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C., area.
Dr. Nahum explains, “When colorectal cancer is found and treated while it is still confined to the site where it developed, the 5-year relative survival rate is 91.5%. In other words, more than 9 in 10 people treated for localized colorectal cancer will be alive five years following their diagnosis, and most of those people will live well beyond that point.”
The oncologist adds, however, that only about one-third of cases are diagnosed while the cancer is localized. “In another 37% of cases, the cancer has reached nearby lymph nodes. For these ‘regional stage’ cancers, the 5-year relative survival rate declines to 74.6%, while the survival rate is much lower for cases in which the cancer already has spread throughout the body at the time of diagnosis.” Dr. Nahum continues, “These statistics underscore the importance of having regular colorectal cancer screenings at intervals appropriate for your age and medical history, and for seeing your primary care provider promptly if you are experiencing potential signs of colorectal cancer, such as an ongoing, noteworthy change in bowel habits. Early diagnosis can make a huge difference.”
At the same time, Dr. Nahum notes, recent years have seen the development and approval of several highly effective treatments for colorectal cancer, including ones that specifically target the genetic mutations or biological processes driving the cancer’s development and spread. “We have a greater ability than ever before to treat the causes of a particular patient’s colorectal cancer, and this is translating not only into increased survival across disease stages but also a better quality of life, because many of these therapies have relatively mild or moderate side effects,” he says.
Mohammad Pazooki, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices at RCCA’s West Hartford and Manchester, CT, offices, says, “The targeted therapies we can prescribe to treat colorectal cancer include agents that act against mutations affecting the BRAF, NTRK, RET, and KRAS genes. Other therapies inhibit or prevent proteins such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) from facilitating the growth and spread of cancer cells.”
Dr. Pazooki explains that RCCA’s community-based offices throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C., area make use of sophisticated testing methods to understand the genetic basis and other characteristics of a person’s colorectal cancer and then develop a highly individualized treatment plan that draws on the latest therapies.
“Each person’s cancer is unique and requires a unique approach,” the physician says. He adds that personalizing care often means using several different treatment modalities and types of medications in combination or sequence. “Surgery is a main component of the treatment plan for many cancers located in the colon or rectum, and RCCA’s medical oncologists collaborate with our patients’ surgeons in coordinating care.” He adds that while radiation therapy does not play as prominent a role in the treatment of colorectal cancer as it does in the management of several other solid tumors, it is indicated for many patients. Again, he explains, RCCA’s medical oncologists work closely with their radiation oncology colleagues to implement a comprehensive treatment plan.
Addressing a question frequently asked by patients and their families, Dr. Pazooki notes that the targeted therapies transforming colorectal care are not necessarily used in lieu of chemotherapy. “Depending on the specifics of a patient’s cancer, we may use targeted therapies instead of chemotherapy, following chemotherapy, or along with chemotherapy,” he says.
The medical oncologist adds, “I fully understand people’s concerns about chemotherapy, but it continues to play a central role in the effective management of colorectal cancer, including prior to and immediately following surgery and when cancer has spread to other organs. Our development of new types of therapies has been matched by enhancements in chemotherapy formulations, in approaches to administering chemotherapy, and in our ability to reduce and address its side effects. While I would never minimize the seriousness of those adverse effects, I want people to know that we have made considerable progress on this front and that chemotherapy remains an important means for us to treat many people’s colorectal cancer.”
Dr. Nahum says, “For all of the advances that have improved colorectal cancer outcomes, the fact remains that an estimated 52,900 people across the U.S. will die from the disease this year. In fact, colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and the fourth-leading cause of such deaths in women.”
Dr. Pazooki adds, “And while the overall death rate for colorectal cancer is declining, the death rate for people aged 55 and younger actually has been increasing about 1% a year for the past several years. Further, the rate of new diagnoses in younger and middle-aged adults has been going up about 2.4% a year since 2012.”
The two medical oncologists explain that several factors have been implicated in these disturbing trends, including increased obesity among younger adults, poor dietary habits, and sedentary lifestyles.
Additionally, Dr. Pazooki notes that while the American Cancer Society now calls for people at average risk of developing colorectal cancer to begin screening at age 45, more than one-third of adults in the US have not adhered to the screening schedule recommended for them.
“Beyond enabling early identification of colorectal cancers, which is so important in terms of treatment, colonoscopy allows the gastroenterologist or other physician to identify and remove precancerous polyps, preventing cancer from developing from those growths,” he says.
Dr. Nahum says, “A growing body of research shows that people can do a great deal to reduce their risk for developing colorectal cancer and to increase their likelihood of survival should they, unfortunately, be diagnosed with the disease. Preventive steps include regular exercise, maintaining healthy weight, not smoking, avoiding alcohol, and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while minimizing or avoiding red meat and, particularly, processed meat. Meanwhile, studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2025 suggest that structured exercise programs can increase survival for people who have undergone surgery and received chemotherapy for colon cancer, and that low-dose aspirin can reduce the chance of colorectal cancer recurrence in people with a specific genetic mutation. If you have a history of colorectal cancer, or are being treated for it now, check with your doctor before starting an exercise program, aspirin, or any other intervention, but the point is that there is a great deal an individual can do to enhance his or her health.”
Dr. Pazooki adds, “RCCA’s physicians, nurses, and other team members are dedicated to providing comprehensive care, the latest treatments, and access to clinical trials to all of our patients. We offer that care in community-based settings close to patients’ homes. If you or a loved one is facing colorectal cancer or any other type of cancer, we are here for you.”
Dr. Pazooki and Dr. Nahum are among 100+ medical oncologists and hematologists who practice with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), one of the nation’s largest networks of oncology specialists. RCCA has more than 20 locations near you across New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C., area. RCCA’s cancer specialists see more than 30,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 265,000 established patients, collaborating closely with those patients’ other physicians. RCCA physicians offer patients innovative therapies, including immunotherapies and targeted therapy, as well as access to approximately 300 clinical trials. In addition to serving patients who have solid tumors, blood-based cancers, and benign blood disorders, RCCA care centers also provide infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions—including multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis—who take intravenously-administered medications.
To learn more about RCCA, call 844-346-7222 or contact RCCA.
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call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.
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