Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, affecting 40,000 people (Patnick and Atkin, 2011). It is likely therefore that general practice nurses (GPNs) will encounter patients at risk of, or with the disease during everyday practice. This article gives GPNs a brief understanding of colorectal cancer, including identifying patients who may be at risk of developing the disease and who may benefit from screening and health promotion. GPNs can play an active role in managing patients with colorectal cancer, providing clinical interventions, while also offering advice and support.