This article lists notable people who died from or were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Those still living are marked in bold.
Adele Roberts (born 1979), English broadcaster, radio personality and DJ. Adi Bitar (1924–1973; aged 48), Palestinian-Jordanian judge and author of the Constitution of the United Arab Emirates. Alto Reed (1948–2020; aged 72), American saxophonist best known as a long-time member of Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. André Kim (1935–2010; aged 74), South Korean fashion designer. Died a week after being hospitalized at the Seoul National University Hospital from pneumonia complications. Angela Scoular (1945–2011; aged 65), British actress. Angus MacDonald (born 1992), English professional footballer. Antonin Artaud (1896–1948; aged 51), French dramatist, poet, essayist, actor, and theatre director; died from an overdose of chloral hydrate his doctor prescribed to control the pain from a very advanced and inoperable cancer. Aribert Heim (1914–1992; aged 78), Former Austrian Schutzstaffel (SS) doctor, known as "Doctor Death", who served at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp during World War II. His death in 1992 was confirmed by a German court in Baden-Baden. Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1911–1956; aged 45), American athlete. Ben Richards (born 1972), English actor. Billy Kametz (1987–2022; aged 35), American voice actor. Ben Kean (1912–1993; aged 81), American physician, author, researcher, and professor at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. Personal doctor of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the former Shah of Iran from 1941 to 1979. Bhupinder Singh (1940–2022; aged 82), Indian ghazal singer. He died from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in India a week after being hospitalized for urine infection, with colon cancer being a suspected cause of his death. Bob Jenkins (1947–2021; aged 73), American television and radio sports announcer. Bobby Moore (1941–1993; aged 51), England football captain and 1966 World Cup winner; the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK is committed to beating bowel cancer in his memory. Brion Gysin (1916–1986; aged 70), British-Canadian writer and painter. Diagnosed in 1974 and underwent a colostomy; died from lung cancer in 1986. Carmen Marc Valvo (born 1963), American fashion designer. Bruno Ganz (1941–2019; aged 77), Swiss actor. Catherine O'Hara (1954–2026; aged 71), Canadian and American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She died from pulmonary embolism with an underlying cause of cancer. Chadwick Boseman (1976–2020; aged 43), American actor. Charles Manson (1934–2017; aged 83), American criminal and cult leader who led the Manson Family. Died from cardiac arrest resulting from respiratory failure. Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000; aged 77), creator of Peanuts; died 60 days after diagnosis. Christodoulos of Athens (1939-2008; aged 69), Greek primate who served as Archbishop of Athens. Diagnosed with colon and liver cancer following a hospitalization in June 2007, and later died at his home in January 2008 in Psychiko, including after a aborted liver transplant. Claude Debussy (1862–1918; aged 55), French composer. Clyde Kennard (1927–1963; aged 36), American Korean War veteran and civil rights activist. Diagnosed in 1961 while in prison and released two years later on parole in 1963. He died that same year in July of the disease. Corazon Aquino (1933–2009; aged 76), 11th President of the Philippines (1986–1992). Dana Dawson (1974–2010; aged 36), American actress and singer. Darryl Strawberry (born 1962), American former professional baseball right fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). First diagnosed during the 1998 ALDS and made a comeback the following year after cancer treatment. Also survived a cancer recurrence in 2000 that spread to his lymph and kidney. Dame Deborah James (1981–2022; aged 40), English journalist and podcast presenter. Dirk Kempthorne (1951–2026; aged 74), former Idaho politician who served as U.S. Senator from 1993 to 1999, 30th Governor of Idaho from 1999 to 2006, and Interior Secretary under president George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. Died a year after his diagnosis. Donald Conroy (1921–1998; aged 77), U.S. Marine colonel who served in World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Donald McEachin (2022; aged 61), American politician who served as U.S. representative for Virginia's 4th congressional district. Attended a premiere for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to advocate for screenings earlier in the month prior to his death. Eartha Kitt (1927–2008; aged 81), American singer and actress. Eitan Haber (1940–2020; aged 80), Israeli journalist and publicist who served as an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and also known for announcing Rabin's death in the wake of his assassination. Sir Edward Elgar (1857–1934; aged 76), English composer. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900–2002; aged 101), British Queen Consort of King George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1966 at the age of 66 and surgery removed a tumour; she survived and died 35 years later in 2002, aged 101, from natural causes. Elizabeth Montgomery (1933–1995; aged 62), American actress. Eric Davis (born 1962), American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. Diagnosed in 1997 and underwent surgery along with 32 weeks of chemotherapy. He returned to the Baltimore Orioles lineup that same year. Erik Jensen (born 1970), American actor, playwright, screenwriter, and director. Diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in October 2023 and was declared cancer free a year later after his doctors found no evidence of disease. He also survived a brain aneurysm in 2021. Estelle Bennett (1941–2009; aged 67), American singer. Ferdinand I of Naples (1424–1494; aged 70), King of Naples from 1458 to 1494. Mummified remains discovered in 2006 that he died from colorectal cancer. Forrest Gregg (1933–2019; aged 85), American professional football player and coach who played offensive tackle for 16 seasons in the National Football League with the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2001 and successfully underwent treatment, having previously overcome melanoma in 1976. He later died from Parkinson's disease in 2019, eight years after his 2011 diagnosis. Gary Cooper (1901–1961; aged 60), American actor. Diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1960 which metastasized to his colon. He also had surgery to remove a tumor from his intestine. Died in 1961 after a battle with both prostate and colon cancer. George Alagiah (1955–2023; aged 67), British newsreader, journalist and television presenter. Gerald Gallego (1946–2002; aged 56), American serial killer and husband of Charlene Williams Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela (1939–2022; aged 83), Colombian drug lord and leader of the Cali Cartel. He was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and also had prostate cancer, COVID-19, and two heart attacks while serving a prison sentence. Gioacchino Antonio Rossini (1792-1868; aged 76) Italian opera composer of the romantic era. Died after a short illness and an unsuccessful operation to treat colon cancer. Grace Lore, Canadian politician who has served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (MLA) representing the riding of Victoria-Beacon Hill since 2020. Diagnosed in November 2024 and stepped back from her cabinet duties, with Premier David Eby confirming Jodie Wickens would step in. Harold Wilson (1916–1995; aged 79), British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1964–1970, 1974–1976). He also suffered from Alzheimer's disease, likely showing the first signs in 1976. Herbert Hoover (1874–1964; aged 90), American businessman and politician who served as the 31st President of the United States from 1929 to 1933. Herman Cain (1945–2020; aged 74), American businessman, Republican political figure, and candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2012 United States presidential election. Diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in 2006, and successfully treated into remission. He later died from complications of COVID-19 in 2020 during the pandemic. Howard Marks (1945–2016; aged 70), Welsh drug smuggler and author. Hugo Pratt (1927–1995; aged 68), Italian cartoonist. Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz (1936–2020; aged 83), Spanish royal. Elder daughter of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and older sister of King Juan Carlos I. Jackie Gleason (1916–1987; aged 71), American actor and entertainer. James Van Der Beek (1977–2026; aged 48), American actor. Jamie Raskin (born 1962), American attorney, law professor, and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 8th congressional district since 2017. Diagnosed in 2010 and successfully treated. Jeff Ross (born 1965), American stand-up comedian, actor, director and producer. Diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2024 at an early-stage despite experiencing no symptoms, and had seven inches of his colon removed and underwent six months of chemotherapy. He has since then been cancer free. Dame Joan Bakewell (born 1933), English broadcaster, journalist, television presenter and Labour Party peer. Joel Siegel (1943–2007; aged 63), Emmy award-winning film critic and Entertainment Editor of ABC's Good Morning America. John Foster Dulles (1888–1959; aged 71), United States Secretary of State under Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower. John Mann (1962–2019; aged 57), Canadian rock musician, songwriter and actor. Died from early-onset Alzheimer's disease. John Wetton (1949–2017; aged 67), British singer-songwriter. Joaquín Caparrós (born 1955), Spanish football manager. Diagnosed with colon cancer in June 2026 after previously being diagnosed with chronic leukemia in 2019. José Ferrer (1912–1992; aged 80), Puerto Rican actor, director and film director. John Bain (1984–2018; aged 33), English video gaming commentator and game critic, known as "TotalBiscuit". Jon Roberts (1948–2011; aged 63), American drug trafficker Dame Julie Walters (born 1950), English actress. Kane Tanaka (1903–2022; aged 119), Japanese supercentenarian. Diagnosed in 2006 at 103 years old and underwent surgery. Went on to live for 16 more years and died of old age. Keith Reid (1946–2023; aged 76), English lyricist and songwriter. Kenneth D. Taylor (1934–2015; aged 81), Canadian diplomat, educator and businessman known for his role in the Canadian Caper during the Iran hostage crisis as Canadian ambassador to Iran. Kevin Conroy (1955–2022; aged 66), American voice actor. Kevin Corcoran (1949–2015; aged 66), American director, and producer who took part in various Disney films as a child actor. Kevin Seefried (born 1969 or 1970), American drywall mechanic and convicted felon who carried the Confederate battle flag during the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol. His attorney stated during sentencing that he was recovering from rectal cancer and wears a colostomy bag. Kirstie Alley (1951–2022; aged 71), American actress. Kim Yong-nam (1928-2025; aged 97), North Korean politician and diplomat who served as president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly from 1998 to 2019. Reportedly received treatment for colon cancer according to Korean Central News Agency. Died from multiple organ failures related to the cancer. Kornbread Jeté (born 1992), American drag queen. Diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in 2022 aged 30. Lana Peters (1926–2011, aged 85), Daughter of former Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin. Lois Maxwell (1927–2007; aged 80), Canadian actress. Luis Alvarez (1966–2019; aged 53), former New York City Police Department detective and first responder during the September 11 attacks.