RISK ASSESSMENT OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE IN DEVELOPMENT OF INTESTINAL MALIGNANCIES AND PATIENT’S ATTITUDE

Abstract

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel illness are more likely to develop colorectal carcinoma and small bowel adenocarcinoma, two types of gastrointestinal tract cancer. Due to lack of timely presentation, proper diagnosis, poor followup, non-compliance towards the instructions provided by the physicians and self-medication that provides temporary relief to the pain and symptoms of the disease the patients with IBD report to appropriate physician in late stages which increases the risk for the development of the intestinal cancer.

Objective: To determine the risk factors associated with development of intestinal cancers in which IBD was a precursor.

Methodology: This cross-sectional research was done in a tertiary care healthcare setup of Karachi. All the admitted and out patients diagnosed with any intestinal cancers were approached from January - August 2024. A detailed proforma was designed to assess the history of the patients. To get the retrospective data available in the patient data entry system permissions were obtained from the authorities. Patients who were alive and given permission to access the data and use it for the current study were interviewed according to developed proforma and data was gathered.

Results: When the files of the patients were accessed to identify the related predisposing factors, it was identified that out of twenty-two five patients (5/22 = 22.7%) were reported to have IBD 3 (3/5 = 60%) had CD, and 2 (2/5 = 40%) had UC. Among the most common symptoms associated with IBD there was frequent abdominal pain, diarrheal episodes, bloody stools and constipation.

Conclusion: The pervasiveness of male patients with colon and rectal cancer was highlighted in the study. Self-medication behaviors offer considerable hazards by delaying necessary medical care, highlighting the critical need for educational efforts directed at people with chronic gastrointestinal diseases.