In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men and women. African Americans are also at higher risk than the rest of the population. The most prevalent type of colon cancer is a glandular cancer called adenocarcinoma. There are many risk factors for colon cancer including family history, ethnic background, history of polyps or previous colorectal cancer, history of inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis, high fat diet, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol intake and increasing age.