Retrospective observational cohort study evaluates effectiveness and safety of endoscopic resection in IBD patients, indicating potential benefits.
Background Visible dysplastic lesions without optical characteristics of deeply invasive cancer should be considered for endoscopic resection (ER). However, there is a lack of evidence regarding outcomes of ER in IBD-related dysplastic lesions. This study assesses the curative effectiveness and safety of ER for dysplastic lesions in IBD patients. Methods This was a retrospective observational cohort of IBD patients referred to the St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada between 2012 and 2025 who underwent ER for management of sporadic polyps or IBD-related dysplasia. The primary outcome was to assess curative resection in this population, defined as; complete endoscopic removal of the lesion with no adverse histologic features and no additional indications for colectomy based on background colitis. Results Among 60 patients with colitis-associated neoplasia, most had ulcerative colitis (85.0%; Crohn’s disease 15.0%), with a mean disease duration of 17.8 years (0–35); disease type was predominantly extensive colitis (75.0%), with smaller proportions of left-sided colitis (10.0%) and Crohn’s colitis (15.0%). Neoplasia was most commonly right-sided (43.3%), followed by left-sided (31.7%), rectal (13.3%), and transverse colon lesions (11.7%). Lesions were frequently ≥30 mm (43.3% were 30–50 mm; 6.7% >50 mm), with 35.0% <20 mm and 15.0% 20–29 mm. EMR was selected in (81.7%) of patients, with (13.3%) requiring hybrid techniques and ESD (5.0%), without significant difference by curative status (p = 0.295). Overall technical success was 90.0% and was universal in the curative cohort (100%, p < 0.0001). En bloc resection and R0 resection were achieved in 25.0% and 26.7% of all lesions, respectively. By Vienna classification, 46.7% had low-grade dysplasia, 20.0% high-grade dysplasia, 11.7% indefinite dysplasia, 20.0% were negative for dysplasia, and 1.7% had submucosal invasive carcinoma; the distribution differed between curative and non-curative resections (p = 0.024). Intra-procedural bleeding requiring endoscopic intervention occurred in 15.0% and perforation in 1.7%, with no delayed bleeding or perforation events. Four patients (6.7%) ultimately underwent colectomy, including 2 (3.8%) with prior curative resections (p = 0.013), at a median of 13.5 months (range 3–16) after index polypectomy. Conclusion ER does not appear to be limited by the presence of colitis itself; rather, success is driven by lesion factors such as size, morphology, and histology. Clinically, this supports treating well-demarcated, endoscopically resectable lesions in IBD using standard advanced resection strategies, reserving colectomy for patients with high-risk histology, unresectable lesions, or diffuse colitis-associated dysplasia. Conflict of interest: Khalaf, Kareem: No conflict of interest Li, Huaqi: No conflict of interest Chis, Roxana: No conflict of interest Causada Calo, Natalia: No conflict of interest May, Gary R.: GRM – Consultant for Olympus. Speaker: Pentax, Fuji and Medtronic Mosko, Jeffrey D.: JDM - Speaker: Boston Scientific, Pendopharm, Vantage, Medtronic.
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Khalaf et al. (2026) studied this question.
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