Cancer risks

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Joined
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Hi.

I have been trying to find out if our risks for Cancer are higher than the general population as we have IBD. I see alot about UC and Colon Crohns, but what about crohns in the ileum or small bowel. Are we at the same risk or higher, I have also read that Cancer is higher in us as well because the drugs we take, is there any numbers out there.
I will be placed on Imuran and if that doesnt work humira, and I am worried about the risks.
How many people have experienced cancer from these is there any information out there.

Thank you.
 
Johnnysmom has pointed you in the right direction as far as drug related cancer is concerned.

As to the risk of colorectal cancer due to Crohn's, it is higher than the general population with large bowel disease having greater risk than that of ileal disease. However small bowel disease rates as a whole have not improved in the last 30 years and that I would imagine would be due to not being able to scope the area:

Meta-analysis showed overall colorectal cancer relative risk in Crohn's disease as 2.5 (1.3-4.7), 4.5 (1.3-14.9) for patients with colonic disease and 1.1 (0.8-1.5) in ileal disease. Meta-regression showed reduction in relative risk over the past 30 years. Subgroup analysis showed Scandinavia had significantly lower colorectal cancer relative risk than the UK and North America. Cumulative risk analysis showed 10 years following diagnosis of Crohn's disease relative risk of colorectal cancer is 2.9% (1.5%-5.3%). Meta-analysis showed small bowel cancer relative risk in Crohn's disease is 33.2 (15.9-60.9). Small bowel cancer relative risk has not significantly reduced over the last 30 years.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16611269

The studies that a search pulls up all seem to be around the date of this one 2006-2008. Perhaps with the advent of CTE/MRE and the Pill Cam and appropriate surveillance the figures for small bowel disease will improve in line with those of colonic disease.

Dusty. :)
 
Couple of thoughts.. and bear in mind that I'm a layman... no medical training/expertise at all. First off... polyps, or psuedo polyps (what the difference is I haven't a clue) can make the detection of pre-cancerous growths... tumours, potential tumours.. hard to spot. That alone would change one's risk.. a GI examining someone with a healthy GI tract would have a much easier time spotting something out of the ordinary. If that same doc were to examine my insides... well, it would be more like needle in a haystack scenario. However, with my background health issues, my docs have been looking for those needles... and they found them, nipped them in the bud. Now, were those strictly the result of the meds I was on... or are they age or lifestyle related.. or a combo of all these. Who knows? Yes, there is an increased risk of various complications from some of the meds we take... AND you should look at those, find the numbers (often buried in the fineprint on big pharma's information website), and put those numbers in perspective.
I mean.. is it 1 in 1,000.. 1 in a 10,000.. 1 in a million. Figure out what the various risks are. Use that info in planning/approving your course of treatment. For example, a drug with a poor success rate AND high incidence of various side effects.. Vs a better one. A certain drug may be a 'doctors' choice of treatment.. but that doesn't mean it is the best choice for you. OK, the upside... you may be at a higher risk, but you can manage it AND be on guard. Usually, it is the folks who never get things checked that run into real problems. No guarrantee.. but forewarned is forearmed. I've had run ins with both colon and skin cancer.. yet I'm not paranoid about either, and I refuse to let myself go that route. You know what I mean?
 
Ive just had an MRI Scan pon Tuesday and my Doc was testing me for Carcinoid Syndrome. I was a nurse for 5 years and I had to google it (hang head in shame i know!!!) but Doc said if I did have it it wasnt going to finish me off.....it was a series of tumors that were not aggressive and sufferers can live with it for years so dont worry about it.... Easy for him to say eh its me now stressed to hell for the next few weeks til i go back for results,Stress of course makes Crohns worse so poos galore for me in the next few weeks. And the smell is appalling when you have to go to someones loo. Im a Community Rehab Asst for Social Services,working on the Hospital Discharge Team in patients Homes. How embarrassing to search for the Odour Neutralizer spray to find its ran out and the window is locked for security!!!!!!!
Ive learnt the art of flush as you poop,It takes the poop and the smell with it(well most of it) and then a quick spray of deoderant or a strong disinfectant poured in sink keeps smell away till you made your exit lol.
 

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