Celiac Disease Brings a Higher Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Celiac.com 04/10/2023 - The association between celiac disease and the development of small bowel lymphoproliferative disorders and esophageal adenocarcinoma is well-established, but there is limited evidence of an increased risk of colorectal cancer in these patients. 

Cross-sectional Population-based Study

To evaluate the risk of developing colorectal cancer in patients with celiac disease a team of researchers recently conducted a cross-sectional population-based study using a commercial database that contains the electronic health records from 26 major integrated US healthcare systems. 

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The team included patients aged 18-65 years of age, and excluded those with inflammatory bowel disease. They used multivariate analysis to calculate the risk of developing colorectal cancer, adjusting for potential confounders.

The Researchers

The research team included Somtochukwu Onwuzo; Antoine Boustany; Mustafa Saleh; Riya Gupta; Chidera Onwuzo; Jessy Mascarenhas Monteiro; Favour Lawrence; Chinenye Emeshiobi; Juliana Odu; and Imad Asaad.

They are variously affiliated with the departments of Internal Medicine and Department of Gastroenterology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland; the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Lebanese University in Beirut, LBN; the Faculty of Medicine in Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore in Mangalore, IND; the department of Internal Medicine and the General Hospital Lagos Island in Lagos, Nigeria; the department of Internal Medicine at the Ross University School of Medicine in Bridgetown, Barbados; the department of Internal Medicine at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, USA; and the department of Public Health at the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio, USA. 

Their Findings: Patients with Celiac Disease Face an Increased Risk of Developing Colorectal Cancer

The team's cross-sectional population-based study showed that patients with celiac disease face an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer, even after adjusting for common risk factors. 

Their findings suggest that patients with celiac disease are frequently diagnosed with colorectal cancer, indicating that the disease may involve other parts of the gastrointestinal tract besides the small bowel. 

The results highlight the importance of screening patients with celiac disease for colorectal cancer, even in the absence of traditional risk factors. 

These findings could help to improve the management and follow-up of patients with celiac disease, especially with regard to diagnosis and prevention of colorectal cancer.

Read more at Cureus.com