Lower gastro-intestinal (GI) cancers include cancers of the colon and rectum (collectively termed colorectal or bowel cancers) and anus.

Over the last 20 years, the incidence rate of colorectal cancer has remained stable, while the mortality rate declined by 38%. Females had a larger reduction in the rate of colorectal cancer mortality than males.
In 2004, colorectal cancer was the second most common cancer in the Australian population, accounting for 13.2% of all cancers.
In 2005, colorectal cancer was the second most common form of cancer death in Australia. More than 4100 deaths were attributed to colorectal cancer, accounting for 10.6% of all cancer deaths in Australia.