Is colon cancer a concern?
About 5 percent of people with ulcerative colitis develop colon cancer. The risk of cancer increases with the duration and the extent of involvement of the colon. For example, if only the lower colon and rectum are involved, the risk of cancer is not higher than normal. However, if the entire colon is involved, the risk of cancer may be as great as 32 times the normal rate.
Sometimes precancerous changes occur in the cells lining the colon. These changes are called "dysplasia". People who have dysplasia are more likely to develop cancer than those who do not. (Doctors look for signs of dysplasia when doing a colonoscopy and when examining tissue removed during the test.)
According to the 2002 updated guidelines for colon cancer screening, people who have had IBD throughout their colon for at least 8 years and those who have had IBD in only the left colon for 12 to 15 years should have a colonoscopy with biopsies every 1 to 2 years to check for dysplasia. Such screening has not been proven to reduce the risk of colon cancer, but it may help identify cancer early should it develop. These guidelines were produced by an independent expert panel and endorsed by numerous organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, and the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America Inc., among others.
Hope through research
NIDDK, through the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, conducts and supports research into many kinds of digestive disorders, including ulcerative colitis. Researchers are studying how and why the immune system is activated, how it damages the colon, and the processes involved in healing. Through this increased understanding, new and more specific therapies can be developed.
Back to Digestive Basics Index
For More Information
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America Inc.
386 Park Avenue South, 17th floor
New York, NY 10016-8804
Phone: 1-800-932-2423 or (212) 685-3440
Fax: (212) 779-4098
Email: info@ccfa.org
Internet: www.ccfa.org
Pediatric Crohn's & Colitis Association Inc.
P.O. Box 188
Newton, MA 02468
Phone: (617) 489-5854
Internet: pcca.hypermart.net
Reach Out for Youth With Ileitis and Colitis Inc.
84 Northgate Circle
Melville, NY 11747
Phone: (631) 293-3102
Fax: (631) 293-3103
Email: reachoutforyouth@reachoutforyouth.org
Internet: www.reachoutforyouth.org
United Ostomy Association Inc.
19772 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 200
Irvine, CA 92612-2405
Phone: 1-800-826-0826 or (949) 660-8624
Fax: (949) 660-9262
Email: info@uoa.org
Internet: www.uoa.org
