I wonder why there's less cancer associated with Crohn than with UC? Maybe it has to do with the fact that in UC, larger segments of the colorectal mucosa are involved. Hmm.

----Comment by: kyouens on 9/8/2007 7:22:22 PM

I have often wondered this myself. I don't have a good explanation. UC have 8ish fold increased risk. I have also wondered about the contiguous nature of UC. Very strange. To my knowledge the etiology of UC has yet to be described. There a a handful of gene mutations associated with Chron's disease - these do not explain all disease. It's been a while since I've thought about dysplasia in UC or Chron's. What are the rules again? Any dysplasia and you a colectomy is indicated? What is the significance of a dysplasia associated lesion or mass?

----Comment by: PathDoc15 on 9/9/2007 4:07:47 AM

Hey guys some signs are missing.. no crip abscess, the cripts are same size same shape, no bifid ("bunny ears") cripts sign of chronic mucosal injury. I see only one plasma cell to the right of the granuloma and no basal plasmacytosis, and the limphoid tissue is well distributed and does not involve the cripts. Of course I havent seen the entire case....

----Comment by: savco on 3/7/2008 1:47:28 PM

A granuloma does not chrons disease make... Excellent point. Without chronic or acute injury, one would be remiss (if not just out and out wrong) to call this chrons. But it is a pretty granuloma - and the patient does have all of these features in other sections of the biopsy. I'll have to dig out a few better images.

----Comment by: PathDoc15 on 3/7/2008 4:15:34 PM

A well formed granuloma (arrow #1)

----Comment by: PathDoc15 on 3/20/2008 4:05:20 PM