Cancers of the colon, rectum and anus constitute the third most common form of internal malignant cancer in the United States, and when statistics for men and women are combined, colorectal cancer is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths. In 2000 it is estimated that nationwide there will be 130,200 new cases of colorectal cancer and 56,300 deaths. [ 1 ] In Texas in 1998 (the most recent year for which data are available), 3,276 persons died from colorectal cancer; [ 2 ] approximately 8,300 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2000. [ 3 ]