NewsIn memory
Vince Lombardi: Understanding Colorectal Cancer
Vince Lombardi died 71 days after his colon cancer was found in 1970. What the Packers' own record shows, and how screening from age 45 changes things now.
Original commentary from the Cancer Explained editorial team.
Historical context: this page explains an event dated 1970. It was published as an explainer on July 12, 2026 and is not breaking news.
Please note: this page is educational only — it is not medical advice, and it does not speculate about anyone’s health beyond reliable public reporting. For questions about your own health, talk with your healthcare team.
Seventy-one days
The Green Bay Packers' team historian has published the timeline, drawing on David Maraniss's 1999 biography of Lombardi.
He was admitted to Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 1970. Within about 24 hours, a proctoscopy and biopsy showed an anaplastic carcinoma in the rectal area of his colon. Three days later, surgeons removed a two-foot section of his colon. He died at 7:20 a.m. on September 3, 1970, aged 57. Seventy-one days had passed since the first examination.
His surgeon, Dr. Robert Coffey, is quoted in Michael O'Brien's 1987 biography saying he had done thousands of colon cancer cases and had never seen one this aggressive.
That is the record. What follows is about the disease, and about what has changed in the 56 years since.
What colorectal cancer is
Colorectal cancer forms in the colon or the rectum, the last part of the digestive tract. Most cases begin as a polyp, a small growth on the inner lining, which can turn cancerous over years.
That slow start is the single most important fact about this cancer. It is the reason screening works here better than almost anywhere else in oncology. A polyp found during a colonoscopy can be removed in the same appointment, before it ever becomes cancer.
In 1970, none of that existed as routine care. There was no screening program to find a polyp in a man with no symptoms.
The scale today
For 2026, the American Cancer Society projects about 158,850 new colorectal cancer cases and 55,230 deaths in the United States; SEER reprints those projections alongside its own data.
Five-year relative survival is 65.4 percent overall for people diagnosed from 2016 to 2022. Broken down by how far the cancer had spread: 91.3 percent when still confined to the bowel wall, 75.2 percent once it has reached nearby lymph nodes, and 16.9 percent when it has spread to distant organs.
About 34 percent of cases are found while still local, and 23 percent are already distant. These are group averages across many thousands of people. They do not predict what will happen to any individual, and a rare, unusually aggressive tumor sits inside them without changing the average.
What screening looks like now
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for colorectal cancer in all adults aged 50 to 75. It also recommends screening for adults aged 45 to 49.
That lower bound moved down because rates in younger adults have been rising. The tests are not all the same. A colonoscopy examines the whole colon and lets a doctor remove polyps during the procedure. Stool-based tests, including immunochemical fecal occult blood tests, are done at home and look for hidden blood, with a colonoscopy to follow if the result is positive.
The best test is the one that gets done. Our overview of colorectal cancer compares the options.
Symptoms that should not be filed under stress
NCI lists these signs:
- blood in the stool, either bright red or very dark.
- a change in bowel habits.
- diarrhea or constipation.
- a feeling that the bowel does not empty completely.
- stools that are narrower or a different shape than usual.
- general abdominal discomfort, including frequent gas pains, bloating, fullness, or cramps.
- weight loss for no known reason.
- fatigue.
Do not wait for your next scheduled screening if any of these appear. Rectal bleeding attributed to hemorrhoids without an examination is the classic missed opportunity. Iron-deficiency anemia found on a blood test in an adult, with no obvious cause, is another reason to look at the bowel. Our page on cancer symptoms covers how to press for an answer.
What has actually changed since 1970
Three things, mainly.
Screening moved diagnosis earlier, and often prevents the cancer entirely by removing polyps. Surgery became more precise, with better staging beforehand. And chemotherapy after surgery, along with drugs aimed at specific tumor features, changed what happens when the cancer has spread.
None of that guarantees anything for an individual case. A very aggressive tumor is still a very aggressive tumor. But the odds of being found early, which is what mattered most in 1970, are far better now for anyone who is screened.
What this does not mean
- Details here come from a team history citing published biographies. No medical record is public, and this page does not speculate beyond what is reported.
- One person's rapid course does not describe the disease. Most colorectal cancer grows slowly over years.
- Survival figures are group averages from a period of care that will keep changing.
- Screening lowers risk. It does not remove it, and symptoms between screenings still need attention.
Sources
- Green Bay Packers team history: Vince Lombardi's cancer, June to September 1970
- USPSTF: Colorectal Cancer Screening recommendation
- NCI: Colon Cancer Treatment (PDQ) — Patient Version
- SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Colorectal Cancer
How this page was made
An AI-assisted editorial system helped prepare this page. This article has not been reviewed by a healthcare professional unless a named reviewer is specifically shown. Cancer Explained is published by the National Cancer Information Foundation as a nonprofit-oriented public-interest education project. It is not a diagnostic service, does not recommend treatments, and is not for emergencies.
Found an error, a broken source link, outdated information, or wording that feels insensitive? Report it here — we log and act on material corrections.
Know someone who needs this?
Plenty of people are looking for something like this and do not know where to start. If this would help a friend or someone you love, send it on — we have written an opening line so you do not have to stare at an empty message. You can change every word of it.
Your message is written and sent in your own email or messaging app — we never see who you send it to, and nothing is added to any list.
Put the story in context
Prevention, possible warning signs, screening, and diagnosis
This story relates to Colorectal cancer. The information below is general: it does not reveal anything else about a public person’s health, and not every point applies to every cancer. Personal advice depends on age, symptoms, family history, exposures, and medical history.
Prevention and risk reduction
Not every cancer can be prevented. Avoiding tobacco, protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation, limiting alcohol, staying active, and receiving recommended HPV or hepatitis B vaccination can lower the risk of certain cancers. A risk factor is not a prediction or a cause in one individual.
Symptoms and possible early signs
Possible signs vary and are often caused by conditions other than cancer. Changes worth discussing include a new lump, unexplained bleeding or weight loss, a persistent cough, lasting bowel or bladder changes, a changing skin spot, or symptoms that persist or worsen. Some early cancers cause no symptoms.
Screening and early detection
Screening looks for certain cancers before symptoms begin. Recommended tests exist only for some cancers and depend on age and risk. Screening can have benefits and harms; it is not the same as evaluating a new symptom, and there is no single routine scan or blood test that reliably screens for every cancer.
How cancer is diagnosed
Diagnosis may involve a history and exam, imaging, laboratory tests, and often a biopsy. Pathology can identify the cancer type and may test biomarkers that guide treatment. Symptoms, screening results, tumor markers, or online stories alone cannot confirm cancer.
Learn about this story’s cancer topic
A public story may encourage questions, but it should not be used to estimate your risk or choose testing. Contact a healthcare professional about a persistent or concerning change. Seek urgent care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.