Crohn's Disease and Colorectal Cancer - What's The Link
If you have Crohn's Disease, should you be more worried about
developing colon cancer? The answer, unfortunately, is yes. Many
of the forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disorder (IBD) have shown an
increase in the risk of colon cancer. However, having Crohn's
Disease does not emphatically mean you will develop cancer; in
fact, 90% of IBD patients do not acquire cancer.
A link has been shown to exist between Crohn's Disease and an
increased chance of developing cancer; however, this risk is
greatly increased if you have had IBD for an extensive period of
time, such as 8-10 years, and it affects the entirety of your
colon. If, on the other hand, only a small part of your colon is
involved and you have not had the disease for a long period of
time, you are less likely to develop cancer. Likewise, if
Crohn's does affects other areas of your digestive tract and not
your colon, you are at less risk. Unfortunately, inactive
Crohn's Disease is just as likely to develop colon cancer as the
active disorder. Therefore, the original onset of symptoms
matters more than the frequency or intensity of flare-ups.
It is sometimes difficult to detect colon cancer in Crohn's
sufferers as the early symptoms often mimic those of IBD.
Diarrhea and rectal bleeding are common among Crohn's patients
and may not cause concern. As an extra precautionary measure,
you should see your gastroenterologist at least once a year if
you have had Crohn's for more than 8 years. It may be necessary
to have regular colonoscopies to identify any possible problems
early. During a colonoscopy, your gastroenterologist may
identify concerns from the appearance of your colon, as well as
take biopsies to further examine possibly affected tissue.
Unfortunately, a colonoscopy is not guaranteed to detect cancer
if it is present; however a colonoscopy with multiple biopsies
is the most reliable means currently available.
If you particularly concerned about developing colon cancer, you
should discuss your situation with your doctor, as well as do
additional research on the subject. You should understand you
will not necessarily develop cancer simply because you have
Crohn's Disease. There are also support groups and agencies,
such as the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA),
that are available to offer information and literature on the
likelihood of developing cancer, as well as general information
about your condition. The most effective measures you can take
are regular doctors' visits and healthy living to ensure ongoing
wellbeing.