How is bowel cancer linked to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis?
In 2020, 24,245 women and 30,529 men in Germany were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Around 26,000 people die from this disease every year. This makes bowel cancer one of the more common types of cancer in Germany - around one in nine cancer diagnoses affect the bowel.
- How is bowel cancer linked to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis?
- How does bowel cancer actually develop?
- What symptoms can indicate cancer?
- What is the risk of becoming ill as a patient with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis?
- How can I detect bowel cancer early?
- Can bowel cancer be prevented?
- Quick facts:
People with a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn's disease or Ulcerative colitis live with a known underlying disease, which - depending on various factors such as the duration and location of inflammation - can be associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer. The medical guidelines therefore recommend regular check-ups and close monitoring by specialists.
Our aim is to empower you: with facts, background knowledge and easy-to-understand recommendations - for more confidence in everyday life with IBD.
How does bowel cancer actually develop?
In order to understand how bowel cancer develops, it is helpful to first clarify what is medically understood by this term and what forms there are. The most common form is the so-called colorectal carcinomawhich develops in the large intestine or rectum - i.e. the last section of the digestive tract. This is a so-called solid tumor: it originates from the cells of a single organ and initially only spreads there. Only at an advanced stage can tumor cells spread to other parts of the body via the bloodstream or lymphatic system and form metastases there.
More rarely, bowel cancer can also occur in the small intestine or at the anus. Bowel cancer usually develops over a longer period of time. It often develops from initially benign changes in the intestinal mucosa, so-called Polyps. Some polyps regress on their own - others can develop into malignant tumors over time. In this case, the cancer initially grows locally, in the mucous membrane and the surrounding tissue layers, before spreading deeper into the intestinal tissue and beyond.
What symptoms can indicate cancer?
As bowel cancer usually grows slowly, it often causes no or only non-specific symptoms over a longer period of time. Possible symptoms that may occur later on include
Changes in bowel movements include frequent urge to defecate, constipation or an alternation between diarrhea and constipation, conspicuous stool impurities such as mucus or blood or unusually thin stools, e.g. as thin as a pencil
Other symptoms may include an increased feeling of fullness, persistent flatulence or strong bowel noises.
For people with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis Many of these complaints are part of everyday life with IBD anyway. It is therefore understandable for those affected to ask themselves: How am I supposed to tell the difference?
This is exactly where medical recommendations come in: Anyone with a known chronic inflammatory bowel disease should attend regular check-ups - regardless of whether new symptoms appear. Not every change means something bad, but it is worth remaining vigilant. Specialists are best placed to assess whether symptoms are part of the underlying disease or should be investigated further.
What is the risk of becoming ill as a patient with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis?
People with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's disease or Ulcerative colitis have an increased risk of developing bowel cancer, depending on individual factors. The inflammatory process in the bowel plays an important role in this.
With Ulcerative colitis the inflammation usually only affects the large intestine - the section in which most colorectal carcinomas develop. Studies show: Around 5 out of 100 patients with ulcerative colitis will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the course of their lives.
Also with Crohn's disease the risk can be increased - especially if the large intestine is also affected. As the inflammation can extend to different sections of the digestive tract, it is difficult to make precise statements about the frequency. The important thing to remember is that specialists can make suitable recommendations for preventive care based on the individual pattern of infection.
How can I detect bowel cancer early?
For people with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, there are clear medical recommendations for Early detection. In both cases, the regular Colonoscopy (colonoscopy) regardless of whether acute symptoms are present or not.
For patients mFor people with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, there are clear medical recommendations for Early detection. In both cases, the regular Colonoscopy (colonoscopy) regardless of whether acute symptoms are present or not.
The following applies to patients with ulcerative colitis:
1. Preventive colonoscopy
The first screening colonoscopy is eight years after the onset of the first symptoms recommended.
2. Further treatment steps
Thereafter, the further intervals depend on the extent and course of the inflammation:
In case of extensive infestation or risk factors: annually or every two yearse
Even in the case of left-sided infestation, a Interval of one to two years recommended.
These recommendations also apply to patients with Crohn's disease, if the large intestine is involved. The individual medical situation is always decisive. Talk to your doctor about this, whether and when a preventive check-up makes sense for you.
Can bowel cancer be prevented?
Cancer cannot be completely prevented. However, there are lifestyle factors that have been proven to help reduce the risk - even in the case of chronic diseases:
These measures are not a "protective shield", but they can promote general health and influence potential risk factors. Here too, it is not about control, but about making informed decisions for greater safety in everyday life.
Quick facts:
People with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis live with a known chronic inflammation in the bowel and therefore have a certain risk of developing bowel cancer. This risk varies from person to person and depends, among other things, on the duration, spread and course of the disease.
Regular check-ups, especially colonoscopies, can help to detect changes at an early stage. A healthy lifestyle also supports personal well-being and can help to minimize risk.
Talk to your medical team about which precautionary steps make sense for you and how you can manage your everyday life with IBD in a conscious and informed way.
Microbiome as the key - new therapy for Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the lives of millions of people worldwide. One proven therapy is the so-called Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) - a special liquid diet that patients consume for six to eight weeks instead of solid food. This method has proven to be extremely effective, but why it helps was previously unclear.
Therapeutic approaches for Crohn's disease based on the S3 guideline
The treatment of chronic inflammatory bowel disease is difficult and depends on the individual patient. Severity of the disease from. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are two of the most widespread chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Crohn's disease can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract, i.e. it can begin in the oesophagus and extend to the anus.
Therapy for ulcerative colitis - current treatment approaches based on the S3 guideline
The treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) has several objectives. Firstly, the inflammation in the intestine should be reduced and secondly, the symptoms should be alleviated. The therapy also aims to achieve long-term remission. Ideally without the use of corticosteroids. What treatment options are there and how are they individually adapted based on the course and severity of the disease?
Deutsch 
English 
Español 
Français 
Português