Bowel cancer facts & statistics
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Aotearoa New Zealand – but it's also one of the most treatable when caught early.
Bowel cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand
3,400+
new cases diagnosed each year
1,250+
deaths each year
2nd
deadliest cancer in NZ
90%+
treatable when caught early
Bowel cancer affects people of all ages, but it's most common in people over 50. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world, and Māori and Pacific peoples are disproportionately affected by later-stage diagnoses.
Each year, more than 3,400 New Zealanders are diagnosed with bowel cancer, and over 1,250 die from the disease. That makes it our second deadliest cancer, after lung cancer.
What is bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer (also called colorectal cancer) is cancer that starts in the large bowel. The large bowel is made up of two parts:
- •The colon – the longest part of the large bowel, about 1.5 metres long, where water is absorbed from digested food
- •The rectum – the last 15 centimetres of the large bowel, where stool is stored before it leaves the body
Cancer can develop in any part of the colon or rectum. It does not include the small intestine, which is a different organ.
How bowel cancer develops
Most bowel cancers develop slowly over many years. They usually start as small, non-cancerous growths on the inner lining of the bowel called polyps (also known as adenomas).
Not all polyps become cancer. In fact, most don't. But some polyps can gradually change and become cancerous over a period of 5 to 10 years. This is why screening is so important – finding and removing polyps early can prevent bowel cancer from ever developing.
The polyp-to-cancer pathway
This process typically takes 5–10 years, which means there's a large window of opportunity to catch and remove polyps before they become dangerous.
Survival rates by stage
The earlier bowel cancer is found, the better the outcome. The five-year survival rate varies significantly depending on the stage at diagnosis.
Cancer is small and contained within the bowel wall
Cancer has grown through the bowel wall but hasn't reached lymph nodes
Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes
Cancer has spread to other organs (such as the liver or lungs)
These are general figures based on population data. Individual outcomes depend on many factors including your overall health, the specific characteristics of the cancer, and how it responds to treatment. Your medical team can give you information specific to your situation.
Next steps
Types of bowel cancer
Learn about the different forms, including colon cancer, rectal cancer, and hereditary conditions.
Should I get screened?
Free bowel screening is available for people aged 58–74. Find out how it works.
Symptoms to watch for
Know the warning signs. Most symptoms have a simple explanation – but it's worth checking.
Worried about symptoms?
Don't wait. Our quick symptom checker takes two minutes and we'll send you an email you can show your GP.