Several characteristics place a patient at increased risk for the development of colorectal cancer.

• Age is the most common.
  
• The incidence of colorectal cancer is 1 in 2,000 patients before age 40, increasing to 1 in 30 patients over age 60.
  
• Overall, a person's lifetime risk of developing colorectal carcinoma in the United State is nearly 6% (Table 1).

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