Colon cancer rates see changes in Montana over 10-year period

MONTANA — Colon and rectal cancer death rates have changed in Montana over a recent 10-year period, according to the National Cancer Institute.

From 2012 to 2022, death rates reached their highest point in 2014 with about 15 out of every 100,000 Montanans dying from the disease. Those rates then decreased to almost 13 per every 100,000 in 2023.

Diagnosis rates have also seen changes during that same time period.

From 2012 to 2022, colon cancer diagnoses reached their highest point in 2015 with about 40 out of every 100,000 Montanans getting diagnosed with the disease. That number decreased to close to 34 per every 100,000 in 2022.