Cancer and Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis is a potential precursor of cancer of the colon or rectum. In a series of patients with ulcerative colitis operated on between 1952 and 1968 seven developed carcinoma in the residual rectal stump after total colectomy and ileorectal anastomis. After assessment of the risks of the other available forms of treatment, I believe that ileorectal anastomosis is the best operation in the majority of cases.