Cancer Risks in Crohn's and Colitis

People living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at an increased risk of developing cancer, which can understandably be distressing. However, the risk of cancer in the general population, even among those with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, remains low. 

Cancer risks in IBD may be linked to disease activity, poor IBD management, or medication side effects. Cancer prevention is, hence, one of the major goals of IBD management. To help you navigate this risk, we invite you to watch this webinar recording to learn about the types of intestinal and extra-intestinal cancers linked to these diseases. 

We will also discuss ways to prevent and monitor the risks of cancer to help you better manage your Crohn’s and colitis. You will have the opportunity to learn about the treatment options for people with IBD who were diagnosed with cancer and future research directions on this topic.    




 
Speakers

Dr. Sanjay Murthy is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, a scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a gastroenterologist at The Ottawa Hospital IBD Centre. His research program uses clinical and health administrative data to study health epidemiology, health care practice quality and personalized medicine in the fields of inflammatory bowel diseases and gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Murthy has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including the 2018 Rising Star Award from Crohn’s and Colitis Canada (CCC). He was also a member of the steering committee for the development of CCC’s 2023 Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada research report, in which he was lead author for the “Cancer and IBD” and “Treatment Landscape” chapters.

Maeghan Hutchings is from Saskatchewan, Canada. She was diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis in 2002 and colon cancer in 2017. Maeghan is happily married with two wonderful stepchildren and works as an office assistant. She is a Digital Peer Community Mentor, offering support to others living with IBD, at Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, and in her spare time, she loves to cook, swim, travel, and go for walks with her dog.   

Back

  • Canada has among the highest incidence rates of Crohn's and colitis in the world.
  • 1 in 140 Canadians lives with Crohn’s or colitis.
  • Families new to Canada are developing these diseases for the first time.
  • Incidence of Crohn’s in Canadian kids under 10 has doubled since 1995.
  • People are most commonly diagnosed before age 30.

Other Areas of Interest