Colorectal neoplasia in IBD--a single-center analysis of patients undergoing proctocolectomy

The risk, prevention, and treatment of colorectal neoplasia in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are still a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence of colorectal neoplasia in IBD patients who underwent proctocolectomy.

The study population comprised of 123 IBD patients who underwent proctocolectomy because of neoplasia, therapy refractivity, or complications between January 2000 and July 2011.

One hundred fourteen (92.7%) patients were pre-operatively diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, 5 (4.1%) with colitis indeterminata, and 4 (3.3%) with colonic Crohn's disease. Colectomy was indicated in 39 (31.7%) patients because of a neoplasia, in 68 (55.3%) because of a refractory course of the disease, and in 16 (13.0%) because of complications. Neoplasia was found in 36 patients on a histopathologic evaluation of the colectomy specimens. Ten (8.1%) patients post-operatively showed a pre-operatively not described advanced neoplasia. In three (2.4%) of these patients, the detection of advanced neoplasia (two high-grade intraepithelial neoplasias (IENs), one carcinoma) was a complete de novo finding. Carcinoma had not been diagnosed pre-operatively in six (4.9%) patients. A multifocal distribution of neoplasia was seen in 66.7% of patients with neoplasia. The median duration of disease was 15.5 years in case of neoplasia opposed to 6.0 years in those without neoplasia detection.

Our data demonstrate a high rate of pre-operatively undetected high-grade IENs and carcinoma and a frequent multifocal occurrence in IBD patients with long-standing inflammation of the colon. This should be kept in mind for treatment decisions particularly in patients with a chronic refractory course of the disease.