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

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