The below are excerpts from the article first published by EverydayHealth.com on July 28, 2025.

How to Reduce Your Cancer Risk if You Have Crohn’s Disease

Crohn's-related inflammation can increase your risk of colorectal cancer, but you can protect your health and lower your risk with several healthy habits.

When you have Crohn’s disease, inflammation damages cells that make up the lining of your colon (large intestine). New cells take their place, constantly trying to keep up, but this turnover offers more chances for cells with cancer-causing mutations to grow.

“[Because of this,] individuals with Crohn’s disease are at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer compared with the general population,” says Amneet K. Hans, MD, a gastroenterologist and the Associate Director of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) program at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York.

5 Ways to Reduce Your Colorectal Cancer Risk if You Have Crohn’s Disease

If you have Crohn’s disease, you can lower your risk of colorectal cancer by seeing your healthcare provider regularly and following healthy lifestyle habits.

1. Get Regular Checkups

The earlier you find cancer, the easier it is to treat, so seeing your gastroenterologist at least once a year is a good idea.

She also recommends regular colonoscopies to check for new growths or intestinal changes.

“With Crohn’s colitis [a form of Crohn’s that only affects the colon], it is typical to have a surveillance colonoscopy every one to two years, depending on individual risk factors,” says Hans. This is also the case if you’ve had Crohn’s for at least eight years.

Sometimes, providers prefer high definition colonoscopies, which use dye spray and can find cell changes more easily.

2. Stop Smoking

Smoking can worsen inflammation, depress the immune system, damage DNA, and disrupt the gut microbiome, so it’s important to stop as soon as possible.

“[It also] increases one’s risk of developing colon polyps, which can become cancerous,” says Hans.

If you want help quitting, you can find free resources from the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society.

3. Take Your Medications

If you have Crohn’s disease, your provider will prescribe medications that lower inflammation and help decrease the risk of dysplasia.

“There are many FDA-approved biologic and small molecule therapies for Crohn’s disease that are effective in controlling inflammation, which can lead to remission, further reducing the risk of cancer,” says Hans. It’s important to take your medications, even if you’re feeling well, she says.

4. Eat a Nutritious Diet

Your diet plays a big role in how well you can keep Crohn’s inflammation at bay. “Fat and red meat can be hard to digest for individuals with Crohn’s disease, and can increase the risk of inflammation and colon cancer,” says Hans.

Instead, choose a diet high in fiber, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which all deliver a hefty dose of important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and may play a part in preventing cancer.

But you may find that certain high-fiber foods can irritate your gut, so you may need to try different fiber sources to find options that you can tolerate.

5. Move More

To help protect against colorectal cancer with Crohn’s, aim for 30 minutes of physical activity a day, most days of the week. “Exercising regularly can reduce inflammation, help individuals maintain a healthy weight, and regulate hormones,” says Hans.

Regular exercise can also lower body weight, which will not only lessen your risk of CRC, but also improve your chances of survival if you develop it.

The Takeaway

• Crohn’s disease can increase your risk of developing colorectal cancer, but you can help protect yourself with lifestyle changes and regular checkups with a healthcare provider.
• Colorectal cancer risk factors with Crohn’s disease include bowel inflammation, having Crohn’s for over eight years, and severe or extensive involvement of the colon, among others.
• To lower your cancer risk with Crohn’s, see your provider regularly, stop smoking, take your medications as prescribed, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, and eat a nutritious diet.

Dr. Amneet Hans is Associate Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program at White Plains Hospital. Board-certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Dr. Hans specializes in the medical and endoscopic management of IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis practicing in White Plains To make an appointment in White Plains, call (914) 948-1000.