What colon cancer is, who it's affecting, why early-onset cases have doubled since the 1990s — and how Southern Arizona's Cologuard Classic, ButtCheck, and The Conquistadors are turning awareness into action through Athletes, Artists & Angels in Action⁴. A public dashboard powering the PHIT Score Colon Cancer sub-indicator.
152,810
New US cases / yr
53,010
US deaths / yr
1 in 23
Lifetime risk (men)
2×
Early-onset cases vs. 1990s
1.5M+
US survivors today
Featured with ButtCheck · The Cologuard Classic (Jerry Kelly) · The Conquistadors
VIP LEAGUES · The Activation Engine
Athletes, Artists & Angels in Action4
Where pro sports, creative culture, and community angels multiply each other's impact — powered by the FFH Virtual Interactive Platforms and Leaders Engaged in Action Unifying and Empowering Science. Colon cancer is the perfect proof case: dramatic early-onset rise meets PGA-level visibility meets do-er community.
VIPVirtual Interactive Platforms
LEAGUESLeaders Engaged in Action Unifying and Empowering Science
5 Group Leaders + 45 Ambassadors
for a full year · tied to Reality Health Games + Fit Family FORCE Ambassador Challenge
What Is Colon Cancer?CLCoach LucyColon cancer almost always starts as a benign polyp that turns malignant over years. That's why screening works — we remove the polyp before it becomes cancer. The takeawayStage at diagnosis is the single biggest predictor of survival: 91% live 5+ years with localized disease, 14% with metastatic. Catch it early, beat it.
Colon cancer (colorectal cancer, or CRC) starts in the colon or rectum, usually as a benign polyp that turns malignant over years. It is the third most common cancer in both US men and women, and the second leading cause of cancer death overall. Caught early, it is highly survivable. Caught late, it is one of the most lethal common cancers.
📍 Stage 0 (in situ)
Abnormal cells in the inner lining only. Removed during colonoscopy. ~98% 5-year survival.
🔬 Stage I–II (localized)
Cancer in colon wall but not lymph nodes. Surgery is primary treatment. ~91% 5-year survival.
🔬 Stage III (regional)
Spread to nearby lymph nodes. Surgery + chemotherapy. ~73% 5-year survival.
⚠️ Stage IV (distant)
Metastatic — spread to liver, lung, peritoneum. ~14% 5-year survival. Where most colon cancer death happens.
🍀 Adenomatous Polyps
The most common pre-cancerous lesion. Removed during colonoscopy = cancer prevented before it starts. The reason screening works.
🧬 Lynch Syndrome (HNPCC)
Inherited mutation (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM). Lifetime CRC risk 50–80%. About 1 in 279 Americans carries it — most don't know.
🧬 Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)
APC gene mutation. Hundreds to thousands of polyps starting in adolescence. Near 100% CRC risk if untreated.
💊 MSI-H / dMMR Tumors
~15% of colon cancers are mismatch-repair deficient. Respond exceptionally well to immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors).
Who's Getting It?CLCoach LucyThe story has changed. Cases under age 50 have doubled since the 1990s. The USPSTF dropped the screening age from 50 to 45 in 2021 in response. The takeawayYour community needs to know the new screening age is 45, not 50. Black Americans face a 40% mortality gap. AI/AN populations carry the highest mortality of any group. These are the populations to wrap with screening + outreach first.
Colon cancer is shifting under us. Older Americans are getting it less — younger ones are getting it more. The screening age dropped to 45 in 2021. The disparities are stark.
Early-Onset Rise
2×
CRC cases under 50 have roughly doubled since the early 1990s. Driving the dramatic urgency. Reasons not fully understood — obesity, microbiome, ultra-processed food all suspected.
Median Age at Dx
66
But ~20% of new cases are now in adults under 55, up from ~11% in 1995.
USPSTF Screening Age
45–75
Dropped from 50 to 45 in May 2021 in response to early-onset rise.
Black mortality gap
+40%
Black Americans have ~20% higher incidence and ~40% higher mortality than White Americans.
AI/AN mortality
Highest
American Indian/Alaska Native populations have the highest CRC mortality rate of any racial/ethnic group in the US.
Adults 45+ ever screened
72%
BRFSS 2022 — below the Healthy People 2030 target of 80%. Younger adults far below.
Hispanic/Latino
+rising
Lower historical incidence but rising fast in younger cohorts. Lower screening rates a major driver.
Rural mortality gap
+15%
Rural counties have higher CRC mortality, driven by screening access and specialist shortages.
Lynch Syndrome
1 in 279
Carriers in general population. Most are undiagnosed. Universal tumor MSI testing changes this.
Family history
~25%
Of CRC patients have a first-degree relative with CRC or a polyp. Genetic counseling indicated.
State-Level Colon Cancer SnapshotCLCoach LucyGeography matters. Appalachia (KY, WV, TN), the Mississippi Delta (MS, LA, AR), and Alaska carry the heaviest burdens. Watch for thisLower incidence isn't always good news — it can mean fewer people are being screened. The number that matters most for outcomes is mortality, not incidence. Click any state for the full profile.
Click any state to see its Colon Cancer profile — incidence, mortality, and screening rates. Data from CDC U.S. Cancer Statistics (USCS), SEER, and BRFSS.
Lower
HigherLower incidence can mean under-screening. Lower mortality is the outcome that matters.
Key FactsCLCoach LucyThese are the numbers that move policy and partnerships. Two stand outThe 2× rise in early-onset cases (under 50) and the 40% Black mortality gap. Both are correctable with screening access and timely care. Most powerful fact in cancer preventionPolyps removed = 0 cancer. No other cancer offers that.
A national snapshot of the burden, the progress, and what's driving the dramatic shift.
152,810
New US cases / yr
ACS 2024 estimate. Third most common cancer in both men and women.
53,010
US deaths / yr
Second leading cause of cancer death overall (behind lung).
91%
5-yr survival, localized
Drops to 73% regional, 14% distant. Stage at diagnosis is everything.
2×
Early-onset increase
CRC cases under 50 roughly doubled since the early 1990s. The most urgent shift in US cancer epidemiology.
−2%/yr
Mortality decline (50+)
Decades of screening + treatment progress. But the gain is now plateauing as early-onset rises.
1.5M+
US survivors today
Living with or beyond a colon cancer diagnosis.
+40%
Black mortality gap
Black Americans are ~40% more likely to die from CRC than White Americans, despite similar absolute incidence.
72%
Adults 45+ ever screened
BRFSS 2022. Healthy People 2030 target is 80%. Adults 45–49 are far below.
~1.9M
Global new cases / yr
Third most common cancer worldwide. Rising fastest in newly affluent countries.
~930K
Global deaths / yr
WHO/IARC 2022. Survival varies 3-fold between high- and low-income countries.
$24B
Annual US care cost
Among the highest-cost cancers, behind only breast and lung.
0
Polyps removed = 0 cancer
Adenomatous polyps removed during colonoscopy prevent the cancer they would have become. The strongest preventable case in oncology.
Global Snapshot — Where Colon Cancer Hits HardestCLCoach LucyColon cancer is rising fastest where Western diets are spreading — China, Brazil, South Korea, Vietnam. The 5-year survival gap is 3× between high-income and low-income countries. The takeawayWestern lifestyle is exporting risk faster than screening infrastructure can catch up. Prevention messaging has global reach.
Third most common cancer worldwide. Second leading cause of cancer death globally. Burden varies dramatically by region; survival varies even more. Sources: IARC GLOBOCAN 2022, WHO, ACS Global Cancer Facts & Figures.
🔴 Top 10 Highest-Incidence Countries
Age-standardized incidence per 100K (IARC GLOBOCAN 2022). US shown for reference.
⚖️ The Global Survival Gap
3× difference
5-year survival in high-income countries vs. low-income countries.
🇺🇸 United States · ~65%
🇪🇺 Western Europe · ~55-65%
🇮🇳 South Asia · ~30%
🌍 Sub-Saharan Africa · ~20%
📈 Where It's Rising Fastest
China — +3.6%/yr (Westernization of diet)
Brazil — +3.0%/yr
South Korea — +2.5%/yr (now top 10 globally)
Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia — accelerating
Hungary, Slovakia — world's highest
The pattern: Wherever Western diets, ultra-processed food, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, and obesity rise — colon cancer follows. The Cologuard Classic spotlight is local; the science is universal.
Trends in Colon Cancer CareCLCoach LucyProgress is real but uneven. Mortality is down ~55% since 1985 in adults 50+, but the early-onset rise is erasing some of those gains. Where partnership effort earns the biggest returnLynch-syndrome carriers (75% undiagnosed), rural counties (+15% mortality), Black Americans (+40% mortality), and Hispanic/Latino early-onset cohorts. Wrap services around these groups first.
National averages drawn from ACS Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures, CDC USCS, BRFSS, and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable.
PHIT Score — Colon Cancer Sub-IndicatorCLCoach LucyThis sub-score rolls colon cancer into the PHIT Cancer Burden domain. What moves itScreening rate · early-stage at diagnosis · mortality decline · racial-gap closure. Who can act on itAHCCCS plans, ACOs, county health departments, and Chamber of Health Directors can target the lowest-scoring counties for outreach with measurable ROI.
This widget slots into the Cancer Burden domain on the PHIT Score Card. The composite blends six metrics: incidence, mortality, screening rate, stage-at-dx, racial/early-onset disparity gap, and survivorship support.
🎗️ Colon Cancer NEW
70
Composite
National average composite score
Higher = better outcomes. Composite weights: incidence (15%), mortality (25%), screening (20%), stage-at-dx (15%), disparity gap (15%), survivorship support (10%).
Incidence (all)
36
per 100K, age-adj
Mortality (all)
12.7
per 100K, age-adj
Screening Rate (45+)
72%
past colonoscopy / FIT / Cologuard
Early-Stage Dx
38%
localized at dx
Black Mortality Gap
+40%
vs White Americans
Early-Onset Share
~20%
cases under 55, rising
Learn It — VIVA Video & Interactive Colonoscopy Walk-ThroughCLCoach LucyMost people skip screening because they're scared of the unknown. The VIVA video shows what's happening biologically. The interactive walks step-by-step through the procedure. Why this mattersRemoving the fear barrier is how we get from 72% to the 80% Healthy People target. Show this in clinics, schools, employee wellness programs, and faith communities — that's where the under-screened are.
Two ways to understand what's happening inside the body, without the jargon. The VIVA Colon Cancer video explains the biology in plain language; the interactive walk-through lets you step through a screening colonoscopy one frame at a time. Together they remove the fear that keeps people from getting screened.
🎬VIVA Colon Cancer — The BiologyVideo · 7 min
VIVA Colon Cancer
[Video embed pending port from legacy system]
A plain-language animated explainer walking through how a polyp becomes cancer, how it spreads, and why removing it during screening prevents the disease entirely. Built for patients, students, and families.
[Legacy interactive — porting to the new platform]
Click through a screening colonoscopy — bowel prep, arrival, sedation, scope, polyp removal, recovery — so there are no surprises. This is the FFH legacy interactive that's been demoed for years; now finding its home on the new system.
Featured partner ButtCheck brings the colon cancer patient and advocate voice to the FFH platform — sharing the stage with us at the annual Cologuard Classic. The full playlist drops to match the event activation.
22
Videos Loaded
2
Songs
9–12
Genres Covered
March
Activation Window
Sample genre coverage:
CountryPopR&BRockLatinFolkHip-HopGospelIndieJazzAcousticSpoken Word
Each piece pairs with a clinical or community-health beat from the dashboard above — story, screening prompt, survivor voice, or call to action. ButtCheck videos and songs queue automatically alongside the VIVA explainer and the interactive colonoscopy walk-through.
Partners
Three partners anchor the Colon Cancer activation. Each plays a distinct role: voice, community, and visibility.
BC
⭐ Strong Featured Partner
ButtCheck
Patient and advocate channel raising the colon cancer voice. ButtCheck shares the FFH platform at the Cologuard Classic and drops a curated 22-video, 2-song, 9-12-genre playlist alongside the dashboard. Where lived experience meets the science.
⚔️
⭐ Community Pillar Partner
The Conquistadors
A storied Southern Arizona group of doers and businessmen who continue legacy through youth sports across the region. Natural alignment with the dramatic rise in early-onset colon cancer and male-targeted prevention messaging. The Conquistadors bring the community-pillar gravitas this fight deserves.
⛳
⭐ Activation & Visibility Partner
The Cologuard Classic — PGA Senior Champions Tour · Featuring Jerry Kelly
The annual March event in the beautiful Catalinas turns professional sports into prevention awareness. PGA golfer Jerry Kelly — who helped make the event happen — is the recognized champion who blends tour visibility with community-health activation. The textbook example of an A-cubed (Athletes-Artists-Angels) channel.
🤝 Featured Focused Conditions · On-Stage Together in Action⁴
Three FFH-channeled focused conditions present together at the Cologuard Classic. Each has its own deep-dive page, its own activation channel, and its own featured guest.
Featured guest: Jerry Kelly (PGA) at The Cologuard Classic in the Catalinas. ButtCheck patient voice + The Conquistadors community legacy meet the dramatic early-onset rise.
↑ This is the page you're on
One stage. One weekend. Three featured focused conditions. The Athletes, Artists & Angels in Action⁴ activation in full — with each focused condition keeping its own channel, page, and featured guests intact.
The Force for Health Academy Foundation
Fiscal Home · Scholarships
Arizona Chamber of Health
Community Activation
Your Organization
Power Foundational Partner · Open
Your Organization
Sponsor a Team / School · $2,500
Sponsor a team. Activate a community.
$2,500 sponsors one team or one school — activating 5 Group Leaders and 45 Ambassadors for a full year through Reality Health Games and the Fit Family FORCE Ambassador Challenge. Bring the Cologuard Classic energy home all year.
Note on state-level estimates: State incidence, mortality, and screening rates use CDC USCS and BRFSS age-adjusted data (most recent 5-year pooled values). Individual years may differ. Rates are directional for this public overview; clinical and policy decisions should use the full CDC/SEER datasets linked above.