title: Who and how to screen for cancer in at-risk inflammatory bowel disease patients.
abstract: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) include both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and both diseases are marked by inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract. Due to long-standing inflammation, IBD patients are at increased risk of colorectal cancer, especially patients with chronic inflammation, pancolitis, co-diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis and a longer duration of disease. Small bowel inflammation places Crohn's patients at an increased risk of small bowel cancer. A higher risk of skin cancers, lymphomas and cervical abnormalities is also seen in IBD patients; this is likely related to both disease factors and the presence of immunosuppressive medication. This article reviews which patients are at an increased risk of IBD-associated or IBD treatment-associated cancers, when to begin screening and which screening methods are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins University, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Building A, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parian
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lazarev
mesh_terms: D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Crohn’s disease; IBD-associated cancer; biologics; colorectal cancer; inflammatory bowel disease; lymphoma; skin cancer; thiopurines; ulcerative colitis