Key takeaway
- Colonoscopies are useful for diagnosing ulcerative colitis, monitoring its progression, and detecting complications.
- People with ulcerative colitis that affects more than just the rectum should undergo colonoscopies every 1 to 3 years, starting 8 years after their diagnosis, to screen for colorectal cancer.
- During a colonoscopy, doctors may remove colon polyps or collect tissue samples for analysis to check for signs of cancer development.
UC is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and lesions in the large intestine, including the rectum, colon, or both.
A doctor may also order a colonoscopy to check for signs of colorectal cancer, which affects people with UC at
The American College of Gastroenterology recommends that people who have UC that extends beyond the rectum get a colonoscopy to check for signs of colorectal cancer every 1–3 years, beginning 8 years after diagnosis.
The procedure primer below shows what a colonoscopy involves.