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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 11/25/2011 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

Unfortunately, we Crohnies are at a greater risk of getting cancer, especially small bowel adenocarcinoma. Does anyone know if this risk is dependent on the severity of the disease or not?

Thanks.
Posted 11/25/2011 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
wouldn't that be medication induced only, I didn't know we were susceptical to that on our own, without the help of cd med, (bio-logic) but what do I know, I've only had this piece of crap disease for 41 years.currently on ssdi because of our lovely disease, more from all the surgeries and 9ft of small bowel in the dumpster, I've put out my christmas list, and I told santa to keep it simple, just give me back my TI and secum valve.

AG
Posted 11/25/2011 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
I wasn't aware of an increased risk of cancer due to this disease. Oh well that gives me a double whammy
then, oh well, can't worry about it, the stress of it all would cause a heart attack :)
Posted 11/25/2011 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
I was told many years ago that CD and UC sufferers have a higher risk of colon cancer due to the nature of the disease.
Posted 11/26/2011 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
6 years ago I had a precancerous polyp at age 25. Thankfully recent colonoscopy was clear! I do have a family history of colon cancer though.
Posted 11/26/2011 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
I think anyone with a chronic inflammation problem is at higher risk for cancer. If you can get your disease into remission and eliminate or significantly reduce the inflammation I think your risk would be lower.
Posted 11/26/2011 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
The way I see it, cancer seems to get us all at some point. Whether we have a chronic disease or not. Yes, our risks are higher, but it doesn't mean it will happen. If I worried about everything in my family that probably causes a higher risk I'd go crazy!
Posted 11/26/2011 10:59 AM (GMT 0)

stripey said...
I was told many years ago that CD and UC sufferers have a higher risk of colon cancer due to the nature of the disease.


Studies have found that Crohn's disease sufferers are 15 to 60 times more likely to get small bowel cancer than the general population. Usually, the risk only starts increasing after 10 years of having the disease.

Now I'm scared to death and won't be able to sleep sound at night until I get my MRI enteroclysis in 40 days.
Posted 11/26/2011 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
The risk is very small, even with CD.

There are other ways to look at it, but here's one example:  "The age-adjusted incidence rate [of small bowel cancer] was 2.0 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on cases diagnosed in 2004-2008 from 17 SEER geographic areas."

http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/smint.html

An increase of 60% would put that about 3/100K, if my math is correct.

There are probably greater risks associated with not sleeping (or not sleeping well) for a month.

Posted 11/26/2011 1:09 PM (GMT 0)

seconder said...
The risk is very small, even with CD.
An increase of 60% would put that about 3/100K, if my math is correct.


It's not an increase of 60 percent. It's an increase of 60 times (6,000%).

That means it's an incidence of 120 per 100,000 (in other words, 1,2 people with Crohn's disease out of 1,000 will develop small bowel cancer every year).

Still quite low, but enough to be scary.
Posted 11/26/2011 3:24 PM (GMT 0)
Well why worry about the what if's. You already have the disease, the best suggestion is to keep your disease under control by taking your meds, eating as healthy as possible, etc.

I have had the disease for over 36 yrs. And I will tell you I am not worried about it. If it should show up, I will deal with it then, but I am not going to waste the rest of life worrying about something that very well may never happen. Good luck!
Posted 11/26/2011 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
Not everyone will get cancer IBD or not. UCers and crohn's colitis (not CD of the TI) are at a slightly higher risk than the regular population for colon cancer and possibly even rectal cancer.
In all the research I've seen (via the CCFC) there has never been any mention of a higher increased risk of small bowel cancer for CDers...in fact I think small bowel cancer is more uncommon and low risk for cancer, I've heard of more people that get stomach cancer over small bowel cancer.

I would also imagine, that like with colon cancer, the risk increases on disease activity and length as well, for colon cancer the risk is higher if you have active disease for at least 10 yrs, but that said, there's still a very good survival for it because of the simple fact that IBDers tend to get more frequent colonoscopies compared to the average person and they often do biopsies so really we're likely better off in the long run than the average person that doesn't even know what a colonoscopy is.


Don't lose any sleep over it, everyone's time will come and there's no stopping it.
Posted 11/26/2011 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Alistair

What I´ve read the risk of cancer are related to the extention and severity of the inflamation as well as how long you´ve had it. So for me who have extensive crohns colitis there is an increased risk but where I live you get colonoskopies more often once you have had your disease for more then 10 years. And the risk are low. And if one gets often it can be treated it´s not automatically same as death.

In the beginning of my history of diseases I often were afraid. Afraid of cancer. afraid of my liver to go into liverfailur, afraid of the sideeffects of the medication. I´m still afraid on an of but I´ve reached a point when I surrendered to the fact that everyone of us have one thing in common: we all are going to die one day. So why loose time worrying about what may or maynot be. I sometimes feel it hard enough just dealing with the disease when I´m in a flare. I don´t welcome dying at early age no I want to be here for my kids and evenually my grandkids. But I agree with pb4 if it´s my time it´s my time and then nothing can stop it. But the knowledge of that makes me humble and I do whatever I can do to help my body when I´m well enough to do it.

Be aware of the risk but dont´t let it rule your life.

Your not alone, take care!
Posted 11/27/2011 2:23 PM (GMT 0)

this-to-shall-pass said...
Be aware of the risk but dont´t let it rule your life.

Your not alone, take care!


Thanks for your encouraging words, they are very helpful. I'm only 24 so I'm afraid this disease will prevent me from creating a family and seeing my kids grow up. That's all.
Posted 11/27/2011 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
Alistair I have had this disease for over 36 yrs. I have 3 grown adult daughters, all conceived and born AFTER my crohns diagnosis. And now have 6 grandbabies.

This is not a deadly disease, but it is a chronic one, so as long as you try your best to take your meds and eat as healthy as you can you will be fine. I have also been at the same job for almost 23 years. You can have a life with this disease, and will have one. Yes there will be bumps in the road, but you deal with them as they come. Let it go and enjoy your life. Hugs!
Posted 11/27/2011 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with pb4, have read that increase of colon cancer but not small bowel cancer. Like averyone else has said why worry about something which may or may not ever happen. Got enough on our plates with the CD. If things happen, they happen and if they do, well deal with it then. You can worry yourself sick about things that may not occur and this in itself can be a self fulfilling prophesy.
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