Colorectal cancer mortality trends in the era of cancer survivorship in Korea: 2000–2020

PURPOSE: Korea has implemented an early screening for colorectal cancer since 2004. However, it is not known whether this has translated into improved survival over the years. METHODS: We acquired colorectal cancer mortality data from the Cause of Death Statistics in Korea from 2000 to 2020. We characterized the data into year of death, cancer-specific loci, and age group. We analyzed age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) according to year of death, age group, and primary location to find trends in colorectal cancer mortality over a 20-year period. RESULTS: The crude mortality rate of colorectal cancer increased from 8.78 per 100,000 in 2000 to 17.27 per 100,000 in 2020. The second decade was slower in increments compared to the first decade. ASMR showed a decrease over the second decade after an initial increase in the first decade. The decrease was primarily from the lowering of ASMR for rectosigmoid cancers. Age group analysis showed a lowering of ASMR mainly in the 45–59-year, 60–74-year, and ≥ 75-year age groups; however, 0–29-year and 30–44-year age groups showed generally unchanged ASMR over the total period. CONCLUSION: After a brief incline of age-specific mortality of colorectal cancers during the early 2000s, colorectal cancer mortality has gradually been decreasing in the past decade. This was mainly due to decreased mortalities in rectosigmoid colon cancers especially in the age groups that were the target of early screening.