Dysplasia and Cancer in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with an increased risk of dysplasia and cancer. Improvements in medical management and endoscopic surveillance have reduced these risks. Patients can develop cancer even in the absence of dysplasia or with indefinite or low-grade dysplasia. Most guidelines recommend starting surveillance colonoscopy 6 to 10 years after initial diagnosis with interval surveillance afterward every 1 to 5 years depending on risk and/or individual characteristics. Most patients should undergo total proctocolectomy with end ileostomy or reconstruction with ileal pouch anal anastomosis because segmental and subtotal resections carry a higher risk of metachronous cancers.

Keywords: Colitis; Colitis-associated cancer; Colorectal cancer; Crohn disease; Dysplasia; Inflammatory bowel disease; Ulcerative colitis.