Colorectal cancer is often called a first-world disease, as high-calorie foods and lack of exercise are known to be factors contributing to the disease. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, May 2 (Korea Bizwire) — The rate of colorectal cancer among Koreans is the highest in the world, especially among men, as 45 out of 10,000 Koreans are diagnosed with the disease, according to a report by Korea University’s Guro Hospital on April 30.
The diagnosis rate among Koreans was much higher than the world average of 17.2 per 10,000 and the Asian average of 13.7 per 10,000. Slovakia, Hungary, Denmark and Netherlands made up the rest of the top five list.
The rate among men in Korea was the third highest in the world at 58.7 per 10,000, followed by Slovakia and Hungary. The rate among Korean women was the fifth highest in the world at 33.5 per 10,000.
Colorectal cancer is often called a first-world disease, as high-calorie foods and lack of exercise are known to be factors contributing to the disease.
Professor Min Byeong-Uk at Guro Hospital said that colorectal cancer is almost 100 percent curable if found at an early stage.
By John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
