Colon cancer is very common all over the world. Each year, over 940 000 new cases of colon cancer occur worldwide, killing approximately 655.000 people. The disease is very common in Western Europe, the USA and Australia. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. It is estimated that 146.970 American residents (75.590 men and 71.380 women) were diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009; nearly 49.920 men and women died of it.
Age-adjusted incidence rate of colon cancer in 2002-2006 was 49.1 per 100,000 men and women per year. However, the incidence tends to vary by race and sex:
Incidence Rates by Race and Sex
| Race/Ethnicity | Women | Men |
| White | 42.1 per 100,000 | 56.9 per 100,000 |
| Black | 53.5 per 100,000 | 69.3 per 100,000 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 34.6 per 100,000 | 46.9 per 100000 |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 41.2 per 100,000 | 41.1 per 100,000 |
| Hispanic | 32.2 per 100,000 | 46.3 per 100,000 |
| All Races | 57.3 per 100000 | 42.8 per 100000 |