The chance of being cured is high for people with early-stage rectal cancer. When the cancer is found in its early stages and hasn't spread to lymph nodes or distant organs, many people do very well with treatment. As the cancer grows deeper into the rectum or spreads to other parts of the body, the chance of a cure becomes lower.
Survival statistics
The U.S. National Cancer Institute groups rectal and colon cancers together when reporting survival statistics, referring to them collectively as colorectal cancer rates. To understand survival rates, experts study many people being treated for colorectal cancer and then report how many are living five or 10 years after their diagnosis.
Many people expect these colorectal cancer survival rates to be reported by numbered stages, from 0 to 4. But the U.S. National Cancer Institute reports survival rates by how far the cancer has spread. This is called summary staging, and the categories include localized, regional and distant colorectal cancer.
Localized colorectal cancer
Localized cancer is confined in the rectum and has not spread to nearby lymph nodes or distant parts of the body. Localized cancer is considered early-stage cancer and includes stages 0, 1 and most stage 2 colorectal cancers.
Survival rate for people with localized colorectal cancer
| Age group |
5-year survival rate |
10-year survival rate |
| Under age 50 |
95.0% |
91.4% |
| Age 50 and older |
90.5% |
85.3% |
Regional colorectal cancer
Regional cancer means the cancer has spread beyond the rectal wall to nearby tissues or lymph nodes but not to distant parts of the body. This includes stage 3 rectal cancers and some stage 2 cancers, especially when the tumor has grown into nearby organs or structures.
Survival rate for people with regional colorectal cancer
| Age group |
5-year survival rate |
10-year survival rate |
| Under age 50 |
79.6% |
70.6% |
| Age 50 and older |
72.3% |
63.0% |
Distant colorectal cancer
Distant cancer has spread to other parts of the body. The liver is the most common site. It also may spread to the lungs, distant lymph nodes, the inner lining of the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum, or other parts of the body. Distant rectal cancer includes stage 4 cancer. Stage 4 also is called metastatic, late-stage or advanced cancer.
Survival rate for people with distant colorectal cancer
| Age group |
5-year survival rate |
10-year survival rate |
| Under age 50 |
22.4% |
14.5% |
| Age 50 and older |
14.0% |
9.0% |
These survival rates are specific to people in the U.S. and may not be the same in other countries. For the most accurate information, ask your healthcare team for survival rates in your home country.
What you can do
Cancer survival rates might seem scary, but they vary widely. And the rates don't tell the whole story for each person. While there may be many things about your rectal cancer that you can't change, you are not powerless. There are many things you can do that may influence your outcome. By adopting a proactive approach, you can actively contribute to your well-being and possibly make a big difference in your personal prognosis.
Some factors you can't control include:
- Stage at diagnosis. Typically, the earlier the cancer is caught, the better the outcomes will be.
- Age. Older age at diagnosis is linked to lower survival rates.
- Genetic factors. A family history of colorectal cancer or certain inherited syndromes, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Lynch syndrome, can affect both risk and prognosis.
- Type of cancer cells. Some cancer cells tend to grow and spread more quickly. These are known as poorly differentiated or high-grade cancers.
Factors you can control include healthy habits, such as:
- Physical activity. Physically active people with rectal cancer reported improved survival rates compared with people who reported no activity. Being active also may help relieve cancer symptoms and treatment side effects. Talk with your healthcare team about the best activity level for your situation.
- Nutrition. According to the American Cancer Society, eating a diet rich in plant-based foods and fiber and avoiding processed foods and sugars may improve health outcomes.
- Smoking. Smoking is strongly linked to worse survival in all stages of rectal cancer. If you smoke, ask your care team about strategies to help you quit.
- Obesity. Excess body weight is linked to lower survival rates and a higher risk of recurrence in people with rectal cancer. Obesity also can increase treatment-related complications and make recovery more difficult.
For the best results, talk with your healthcare team before changing your health habits, especially during treatment. Your care team can start you on the right track and help you along the way.
Survival rates are improving
Keep in mind that survival statistics take five years to collect. The most recent survival rates include people who had rectal cancer treatment more than five years ago. These people may not have had access to the latest treatments. Over the last few decades, advances in diagnosis and treatment have continued to steadily improve survival rates and quality of life for people with rectal cancer. Ongoing developments in targeted therapies, immunotherapy and personalized medicine signal the potential for even stronger results moving forward.
Sept. 12, 2025