Abstract
Early studies from tertiary referral centers in the United States and Europe showed that patients with long-standing and extensive inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of colon cancer. It was subsequently appreciated that the degree of risk depended on the population being studied and on both genetic and environmental factors (eg diet, drugs and prior surgical treatment). Indeed, over the past decade or so, the effects of chronically administered medications, including 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASA), have been explored.