Colorectal cancer in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk for developing colorectal cancer (CRC). Current strategies for the prevention and early detection of cancer in this high risk population are based on the concept of an inflammation-neoplasia-carcinoma sequence. To reduce CRC mortality in IBD colonoscopic surveillance with random and targeted biopsies are recommended to detect early neoplasia. The introduction of novel endoscopic techniques, such as chromoendoscopy, virtual chromoendoscopy and confocal laser endomicroscopy to facilitate a targeted biopsy has increasingly become associated with enhanced neoplasia detection.