DALS and WHI have study-specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, which can be found in the selected publications. The composition of this study includes un-related Caucasian participants with colorectal adenocarcinoma and a subset of controls. Cases were selected based on having one or more first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer and/or early onset of colorectal cancer (age at diagnosis <55 years). Cases with the following diagnoses related to the colon or rectum were excluded: any *in situ* adenocarcinoma or carcinoma, (large cell) neuroendocrine carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, carcinoid tumor, Goblet cell carcinoid, and any type of lymphoma, including non-Hodgkin, Mantle cell, large B-cell, or follicular lymphoma.