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Patients’ knowledge and fear of colorectal cancer risk in inflammatory bowel disease
Author(s) -
Lopez Anthony,
ColletFenetrier Benjamin,
Belle Arthur,
PeyrinBiroulet Laurent
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of digestive diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1751-2980
pISSN - 1751-2972
DOI - 10.1111/1751-2980.12356
Subject(s) - medicine , ulcerative colitis , inflammatory bowel disease , colonoscopy , gastroenterology , colorectal cancer , infliximab , disease , dysplasia , colectomy , crohn's disease , complication , cancer
Objective To investigate knowledge and fear of colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Methods A 12‐item self‐administered questionnaire, developed after a careful literature review, was administered to all consecutive IBD patients treated with infliximab who were followed up at Nancy University Hospital (Vandoeuvre‐lès‐Nancy, France) between February and May 2012. Results Altogether 100 patients including 72 with Crohn's disease (CD) were included. Only 7.0% of patients spontaneously mentioned CRC risk as a main feature of IBD and 37.0% as a potential IBD complication. CRC was the most feared complication by 26 patients [ulcerative colitis (UC) 46.4% vs CD 18.1%, P < 0.01]. Two‐thirds of patients knew that IBD increases CRC risk (UC 81.9% vs CD 57.1%, P = 0.02). Their main source of information was their gastroenterologist (52.0%). On the best screening method for CRC, 86.0% of the respondents mentioned colonoscopy. Only 32.0% of patients knew that it has to be performed 10 years after diagnosis. In case of dysplasia, 51.0% of the patients would not undergo colectomy (CD 59.7% vs UC 28.6%, P < 0.01), mainly due to the fear of having ostomy bags. Only one‐quarter of UC patients were aware of the chemopreventive effect of 5‐aminosalicylates on CRC risk. Conclusions Two‐thirds of IBD patients are aware of the risk of CRC. UC patients have a better knowledge of this risk and are more afraid of this complication. Our results underscore the need for therapeutic education about CRC in IBD patients.