Did you know there’s a significant link between ulcerative colitis (UC) and colorectal cancer? Ulcerative colitis patients have a six times greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than those of average risk. But, that being said, only about 5% of people with severe ulcerative colitis will end up developing this type of cancer. Plus, there are ways you can lower your risk.
Ulcerative colitis is one type of irritable bowel disease (IBD). It can cause pain, inflammation (swelling), and ulcers (sores) in the inner lining of your intestine and rectum.
The cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown, and most cases are diagnosed before age 30, although it can happen at older ages. A high-fat diet and stress can worsen symptoms, but they do not cause UC. Some researchers believe ulcerative colitis may be caused by a malfunctioning immune system that attacks your colon, which causes inflammation.
Heredity plays a role for a few people. Ulcerative colitis is more common in people with a family history of ulcerative colitis or other IBDs. However, most cases have no family history of the disease.
Your ulcerative colitis risk is higher if you frequently use NSAID medications, like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen.
In addition to increasing your risk for colon or rectal cancer, ulcerative colitis inflammation can cause arthritis, eye inflammation, liver disease, and osteoporosis.
There's no cure for UC, but medications and lifestyle changes can calm the inflammation and help you get to long-term remission. Good control of flare-ups and other ulcerative colitis symptoms help reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer develops in the colon (digestive tract), rectum, or both. Colon cancer usually starts in a polyp – a small, non-cancerous group of cells that can turn into a cancerous polyp attached to the lining of the colon.
Read our blog: What Causes Colon Polyps?
Colorectal cancer risk factors increase if you:
Learn more about colorectal cancer risk factors and who is at risk of developing the disease on our blog.
There aren’t many symptoms of colon cancer which means screening is the best way to find it early. If you’re at a higher risk – especially if you’ve had an ulcerative colitis diagnosis for a while – you should talk to your primary care doctor about starting cancer screening sooner than the average age.
If cancer is suspected, diagnosis can be more difficult to make if the patient has ulcerative colitis. That’s because some of the symptoms are the same for both conditions. For example, blood in the stool is a warning sign of both cancer and an ulcerative colitis flare-up.
If you have ulcerative colitis, your risk of developing colon cancer is higher if you have the following conditions:
UC causes chronic inflammation that affects the cells lining the large intestine (colon). Chronic inflammation, like that caused by ulcerative colitis, is an ongoing issue. And when left untreated, it can lead to the development of cancer in the colon or rectum.
Chronic inflammation is known to:
Colorectal cancer is curable, especially in the early stages. The best chance of complete remission comes with finding polyps early that need to be removed before they turn into cancer. This makes the entire process easier on you, less invasive, reduces the chance of it spreading to other organs, and is less expensive than late-stage cancer treatment.
To find colorectal cancer early, you need to stick with a regular cancer screening schedule. If you have ulcerative colitis or other medical conditions that put you at risk for colorectal cancer, your primary care doctor may recommend starting cancer screenings younger than the average age of 45. Screening for colon and rectal cancer can be done with an at-home stool test or using a test such as a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy. The right test for you, based on the severity of the UC, will be determined by your physician.
Read our blog to learn about Screening at Home: What You Need to Know About Colon Cancer Testing.
Healthy lifestyle choices are especially helpful in preventing both ulcerative colitis and colon cancer and help detect it early. Knowing the risk factors is especially important for young adults whose risk of colon cancer has increased since the 1950s. Some of the most important choices you can make include:
There are experts in cancer care called oncologists, like those at Compass Oncology, who will assess all of your health conditions to make a recommended colorectal cancer treatment plan. Your treatments may be a bit different than someone who doesn’t have UC. Be sure to ask a lot of questions. There are no silly questions when it comes to your healthcare.
If you live in the Portland-Vancouver area and receive a colorectal cancer diagnosis, our team of GI cancer oncologists will guide you through the treatment process. Request an appointment for a consultation. Second opinions are available.