Do people with Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis develop cancer?
Cancer of the small intestine, where Crohn’s disease usually occurs, is an exceedingly rare disease. However, after many years of involvement with Crohn’s disease, the incidence of cancer in the small intestine may be slightly higher than in the average population. More is known about the potential risk of cancer of the large intestine, or colon, as a complication of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. The incidence is significantly greater than in the average population but usually occurs in those cases in which the entire colon has been involved for at least 10 years. This risk slowly rises above average after ten years of disease.
