Women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at increased risk of Cervical dysplasia and cancer, according to a new study¹ published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

“Our research shows that patients with IBD, specifically Crohn’s disease, are at increased risk for developing cervical cancer, even when undergoing the recommended screening,” said study author Professor Tine Jess, MD, from Statens Serum Institut in Denmark. “These findings provide an important reminder for IBD patients, and their physicians, to follow the recommended screening guidelines for cervical cancer.”

Researchers conducted a population-based, case-controlled study of 27,408 women with IBD in Denmark, followed during a 35-year period. They found a two-way association between IBD, notably Crohn’s disease, and neoplastic lesions, or abnormal tissue growth, of the uterine cervix. This observation is not explained by differences in screening activity.

Although patients with both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease - the two most common forms of IBD - had higher odds of being diagnosed with cervical cancer before IBD, only patients with Crohn’s disease were at an increased risk of developing cervical cancer after the IBD diagnosis.

For patients with Crohn’s disease, researchers found a significantly higher risk of cervical neoplasia in patients diagnosed at a young age and in patients treated with azathioprine. Treatment with TNF-α antagonists and hormonal contraceptive devices may also influence risk of cervical neoplasia in Crohn’s disease.

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¹ Rungoe, Christine, et al. Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Cervical Neoplasia: A Population-Based Nationwide Cohort Study, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Volume 13(4): 693-700.e1 http://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(14)01081-7/abstract

About the AGA Institute

The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to include more than 16,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. http://www.gastro.org.

About Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

The mission of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology is to provide readers with a broad spectrum of themes in clinical gastroenterology and hepatology. This monthly peer-reviewed journal includes original articles as well as scholarly reviews, with the goal that all articles published will be immediately relevant to the practice of gastroenterology and hepatology.

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Rachel Steigerwald
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American Gastroenterological Association

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  Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology