A new research update from a PSC Support-funded study is providing valuable insight into the risk of bowel cancer for people with PSC who also have inflammatory bowel disease (PSC-IBD). Dr Chandni Radia is conducting the study and has already presented early results at some prestigious medical research conferences.

The study is essential because PSC-IBD is a rare condition, which makes research into tailored surveillance guidelines difficult. Data has been gathered from over 600 people with PSC-IBD across seven hospitals in the UK providing Dr Radia with more than 3,500 colonoscopy records to review.

Initial findings suggest the long-term risk of bowel cancer for people with PSC may be lower than figures reported in previous historical studies. This new data will now be compared against a national database to ensure accuracy.

The analysis has also identified potential risk factors. Individuals who had poorly controlled inflammation in the colon over consecutive years, more frequent changes to advanced medications, and a history of pre-cancerous changes appeared to have a higher risk. These findings are similar to those seen in IBD-only patients.

Furthermore, the research indicates that using virtual electronic chromoendoscopy may be as effective as the traditional dye-spray technique for detecting pre-cancerous changes.

These results will help inform future national guidelines, aiming to improve the quality of care and potentially better tailor colonoscopy frequency for individuals with PSC-IBD.