“Early cancer screening blood tests like the Galleri and TruCheck tests represent a significant advancement in cancer detection, allowing for earlier intervention and potentially better outcomes.

The TruCheck test is another innovative blood test that can detect over 70 types of cancer by identifying Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in the bloodstream. This test is designed to catch cancer at its earliest stages, often before symptoms arise, making it potentially more treatable. The TruCheck test requires only a single blood draw and can provide insights into the presence and location of cancer if detected.

This trucheck test does early Cancer Screening via a blood test that is a thorough check for the existence of cancer in your body, identifying which type of cancer(s) you have, and from which organ they have originated. TruCheck’s tests have been validated across cohorts of over 40,000 patients.”

Thyme (TruCheck™ | Early Cancer Screening | Blood Test)  and Coyne Medical (Trucheck™: Empowering Early Cancer Detection through Advanced Blood Screening – Coyne Medical)

An accurate diagnosis is very important to choosing the best care plan for you. It can confirm if you have cancer, or another disease with similar symptoms.

Doctors use the results of many tests to diagnose the type of cancer. They also find out the stage of the cancer, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) diagnoses cancer using many new technologies that were developed or improved here. We’re always researching ways to diagnose cancer with greater accuracy so we can improve cancer treatment results.

A pathologist is a doctor who uses a microscope to make a diagnosis. Pathologists are sent a sample of cells or tissue, which they examine under a microscope. The record of their exam is called a pathology report. Your care team uses this pathology report to make a correct diagnosis. Working together, your care team and you will choose the best treatment plan for you.

MSK has19 teams of experts that interpret lab tests for cancer. Our pathology department processes about 2,000 tissue samples every workday. MSK’s pathology teams write more than 170,000 reports a year.

MSK’s pathology department uses the latest technology and most advanced diagnostic methods. It has developed new technology and tests that describe a cancer with far better accuracy. MSK’s methods give more exact descriptions of a cancer’s stage (how far it has spread) and tumor type.

The pathology report has information that helps your care team recommend your best treatment options. The report has a diagnosis based on your sample, with details about any cancer cells.

The report includes information about:

• If there is cancer cells present or not.  If there is cancer they are able to tell the attending oncolog The type of cancer.
• Whether the cancer has metastasized (spread).
• Whether the cancer is invasive. This is cancer that spread past the layer of tissue where it started and is growing into nearby healthy tissue.
• How deep the cancer has spread into nearby healthy tissue.
• The cancer’s staging, which describes traits such as the tumor’s size, location, and whether it has spread.
• Whether the cancer has hormone receptors or other tumor markers.

Types of Blood Tests for Cancer Detection

1. Complete Blood Count (CBC): This test measures various components of blood, including red and white blood cells and platelets. Abnormal levels can indicate blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma, but it is not specific to solid tumors. 
2. Tumor Marker Tests: These tests look for specific substances produced by cancer cells or by the body in response to cancer. Common tumor markers include:

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer.
• CA-125 for ovarian cancer.
• Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) for colorectal cancer.
• Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) for liver and testicular cancers. 

3. Multi Cancer Detection (MCD) Tests: These innovative tests, such as the Galleri test, can detect multiple types of cancer from a single blood sample by analyzing DNA fragments released by tumors. They are designed to identify cancers early, even before symptoms arise. 
4. Proteomics-based Tests: Recent studies have shown promise for blood tests that analyze proteins in the blood to detect various cancers. These tests have demonstrated high sensitivity in identifying early-stage cancers.  Proteomics-based plasma test:  One 2024 research study found that a new blood test may show promise for the early detection of 18 different types of cancer. (Proteomics is the study of cell proteins and how they work.) In this study of 440 individuals, the test detected 93% of Stage I cancers in males and 84% of Stage I cancers in females. Researchers need to run more studies, but this blood test could become a standard for cancer diagnosis.While deaths from cancer are diminishing in the United States, cancer incidence is on the rise. Routine cancer screenings are a critical way to detect cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages. Simply put, early detection saves lives. Our comprehensive cancer screening programs at Columbia and Weill Cornell Medicine make it easy for you to start your own cancer screening routine, to gather valuable insights about your health risks and lead to the best possible outcomes. With the latest technology and a multidisciplinary team of NewYork-Presbyterian specialists, we offer a diverse array of cancer screenings that help you to proactively manage your health.

    

“By the end of 2022, according to the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 609,360 deaths caused by cancer in the United States. As the second leading cause of death in the U.S., it’s important that we catch, diagnose and treat cancer as early as possible.

The Galleri test may present a far more efficient way of detecting cancer. Instead of searching for any one type of cancer, it screens an individual for multiple cancers. Its potential is to change the current screening process from screening for individual cancers to one where individuals are screened for multiple cancers with a single blood test.”

The Cleveland Clinic (The Galleri Test for Cancer Screening)

  Pretty Simple

Cancer often hides, with symptoms not appearing until later stages. The earlier that cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chance of successful treatment and survival.

For many when symptoms arise is can be late in the cancer!

Currently, there are five cancers that are recommended for screening regularly in the U.S.:

• Mammographies test for breast cancer, typically in women ages 45 to 54.
• HPV tests and Pap tests screen for cervical cancer, typically in women ages 25 and up.
• Colonoscopies test for colorectal cancer in adults over age 45.
• Low-dose CT scans can be conducted on those who are at high risk for lung cancer if they’re former smokers or have had occupational hazard exposure.
• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests screen for prostate cancer in men ages 55 and older.

Each of these screenings test for a specific kind of cancer and is done on a semi-regular basis. However, there isn’t currently a way to screen for more lethal cancers like pancreatic or ovarian cancer. These cancers aren’t usually caught until you start showing symptoms, and by then, the cancer has usually developed into stage III or stage IV and may have spread to other parts of your body.

There is the Galleri test which is a multi -cancer early detection blood test that can identify over 50 types of cancer in asymptomatic adults aged 50 and older.  It works by detecting tumor DNA in the blood stream, which can indicate the presence of cancer signals and help determine their likely origin in the body.  The test is particularly effective for fast growing and aggressive cancers, which often require early detection.  However, it is not a diagnostic tool and should be used in conjunction with other recommended screening methods.  False positive and negatives can occur like other tests.  The test is not recommended for individuals who are pregnant, younger than 22, or undergoing active cancer treatment.

The Galleri test invented by GRAIL, Inc. is an American biotechnology company based in Menlo Park, California founded in 2015 seeking to develop an early cancer screening test for people who do not have symptoms. As a startup it was a subsidiary of Illumina, which bought it outright in 2021.

In June 2021 Galleri launched their liquid biopsy, or multi-cancer early detection test, which they called Galleri test. In 2023 EU regulators ordered Grail to be spun-out from Illumina which was completed on June 24, 2024.

“Currently, we don’t detect the majority of cancers, including highly lethal ones, such as pancreatic or ovarian cancer, until symptoms are present,” says Dr. Klein, under Cleveland Clinic. “But Galleri can find those cancers at a time when they’re in an earlier stage and before symptoms appear.”  Allan Klein, MD, is the Director of Cardiovascular Imaging Research, Director of the Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pericardial Diseases, and a staff cardiologist in the Section of Cardiovascular Imaging, the Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, at the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.  He is also the Course Director for Diastology and Contrast Echo & New Technologies Courses—currently his 15th annual course.  He is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular medicine.

The Galleri test may present a far more efficient way of detecting cancer. Instead of searching for any one type of cancer, it screens an individual for multiple cancers. Its potential is to change the current screening process from screening for individual cancers to one where individuals are screened for multiple cancers with a single blood test.

Many cancers shed DNA into your bloodstream, known as cell-free DNA or circulating tumor DNA. This DNA is usually shed as cancer cells die. Using what’s called Next-Generation DNA Sequencing and machine learning, doctors are able to use a single blood draw (test) to look at various patterns in that DNA code and figure out two things: if a cancer signal is present, and from where the cancer likely started.

These patterns in your DNA are possible because of a biological process known as methylation. During this process, your body expresses certain genes but not others. You can picture it like a wall of light switches: for every switch you turn on, others might turn off, and different configurations produce different results. So, a skin cell will have one configuration, while a liver cell will have another. In the same way, healthy cells will have one configuration, while cancer cells will have a different one. And specific cancer types will have specific configurations different from other cancer types.

“It’s like fingerprints and how fingerprints tell the difference between two people,” explains Dr. Klein. “The methylation patterns are fingerprints that are characteristic of each kind of cancer. They look one way for lung cancer and different for colon cancer.”

If you take the Galleri test, you can have two possible results:

• No cancer signal detected means there’s no cancer DNA detected in your bloodstream.
• A cancer signal detected suggests you may have cancer.

If a cancer signal is detected, the Galleri test is able to identify which organ system the cancer is likely coming from with about 90% accuracy. If this happens, you would then have another test (like a blood test, CT scan or ultrasound of your kidneys, lungs, pancreas or other affected system) to verify the presence of cancer. Then, you can determine what treatment is right for you. The key here is that you’re catching cancer much earlier than you normally would have before you start showing physical symptoms.

Galleri can detect more than 50 types of cancer, including: Anal Cancer, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Kidney cancer, Leukemia, Liver Cancer, Mesothelioma Cancer, Oral Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Stomach and Uterine Cancer.

This is especially effective when you consider that some of these cancers are extremely rare and highly lethal. In the case of pancreatic cancer, which isn’t normally detected until stage III or stage IV and has a one-year survival rate of 5%, it means you can catch at least some cases much earlier than normal.

The Accuracy in the Galleri Test:

Depending on the test, traditional screening tests have a false-positive rate of 10% to 40%. Galleri has a 0.5% false-positive rate, which means it’s highly accurate.

“It finds 51.5% of cancers,” points out Dr. Klein. “If you look at the 12 cancers that account for two-thirds of all deaths in the U.S., it actually finds 67% of those.”

And it’s 89% effective in predicting where the cancer started.

Currently, the Galleri test is meant to be in addition to traditional screenings — so you should get screened for cancers as you normally would once you’ve reached the applicable age. But, Dr. Klein points out that as we develop more research and collect more data, it may be possible to test for most cancers in the future using a simple blood test without having to use screening tests of the past.

Part II This weekend!

“Handwashing with soap removes germs from hands. This helps prevent infections because:

• People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick.
• Germs from unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while people prepare or consume them. Germs can multiply in some types of foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick.
• Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like handrails, tabletops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.

Teaching people about handwashing helps them and their communities stay healthy. Handwashing education in the community:

• Reduces the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 23-40%
• Reduces diarrheal illness in people with weakened immune systems by 58%
• Reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16-21%
• Reduces absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in schoolchildren by 29-57%”

Center for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/data-research/facts-stats/index.html)

“The scientific evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that appropriate hand hygiene is the single most effective action to stop the spread of infection, while integrated with other critical measures.

• • Appropriate hand hygiene prevents up to 50% of avoidable infections acquired during health care delivery, including those affecting the health work force.
  • The WHO multimodal hand hygiene improvement strategy has proved to be highly effective, leading to a significant improvement in key hand hygiene indicators, a reduction in health care-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance, and substantially helping to stop outbreaks.
  • Appropriate hand hygiene reduces the risk on SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – infection among health workers.
  • Investing in hand hygiene yields huge returns. Implementation of hand hygiene policies can generate economic savings averaging 16 times the cost of their implementation.

Hand hygiene compliance is recommended as one of the key performance indicators for infection prevention and control programmes, patient safety and quality of health services worldwide.”

World Health Organization-WHO (https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hand-hygiene-day/2021/key-facts-and-figures)

• All Posts

Facts about Handwashing:

• On average, you come into contact with 300 surfaces every 30 minutes, exposing you to 840,000 germs.
• Only about 5% of people wash their hands correctly.
• Most people only wash their hands for 6 seconds.
• Around 33% of people don’t use soap when washing their hands.
• Up to 80% of communicable diseases are transferred by touch.
• Proper handwashing can reduce diarrhea rates  by 40% and respiratory infections by close to 20%.
• Failing to wash hands correctly contributes to nearly 50% of all foodborne illness outbreaks.
• Only 20% of people wash their hands before preparing food, and 39% before eating food.
• About 7% of women and 15% of men do not wash their hands at all after using the bathroom.
• Most bacteria on our hands is on the fingertips and under the nails. The number of bacteria on our fingertips doubles after using the bathroom. Most people wash the palms of their hands and miss everything else.
• Damp hands are 1,000x more likely to spread bacteria than dry hands. Only about 20% of people dry their hands after washing them.
• There is fecal matter on 10% of credit cards, 14% of banknotes and 16% of cellphones.
• Approximately 39% of people don’t wash their hands after sneezing, coughing or after blowing their nose.
• Elevator buttons harbor 22% more bacteria than toilet seats.
• Reminder signs are successful in encouraging more handwashing.
• Dirty sinks result in less handwashing.
• Handwashing rates are higher in the mornings than evenings.

If everyone did handwashing properly many infections could be decreased from respiratory, nasal, to foodborne illnesses.  Good handwashing techniques can block alot of illnesses.  While the majority of people as high as 95% claim to practice proper hand hygiene, studies show that only 67% of people practice any sort of hand hygiene.

“Inflammatory bowel disease is a term that refers to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, two inflammatory conditions that affect as many as 1.6 million Americans, most diagnosed before age 35.

IBD is the common name used to describe two chronic diseases of the intestinal tract ― Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis ― that cause inflammation in the intestines:

• Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus.
• Ulcerative colitis can affect any part of the large intestine.
• A third category, indeterminate colitis inflammatory bowel disease, refers to IBD that has features of both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

IBD is an autoimmune disorder, meaning the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissues. It is not yet known what triggers these attacks ― and why IBD develops in some people and not in others. However, researchers are working to understand more about the mechanisms behind the condition and the impact of genetic, environmental, infectious, immune and other factors, including the balance of bacteria in the gut.

IBD can affect people in any ethnic or racial group, but statistically, people of Jewish ancestry have a greater risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease. Environmental factors may contribute: IBD is rare in the southern hemisphere.   It also can run in families.”

John Hopkins Medicine (Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) | Johns Hopkins Medicine)

Part II What is Chron’s Disease actually?

Chron’s Disease can cause other parts of the body to become inflamed (due to chronic inflammatory activity) including the joints, eyes, mouth, and skin. In addition, gallstones and kidney stones may also develop as a result of Crohn’s disease.

Moreover, children with the disease may experience decreased growth or delayed sexual development.

Crohn’s Disease is far more common than a lot of people think, and it can be a serious disease with life-threatening complications if it is not properly treated. The best way to treat Crohn’s disease is to speak with your doctor regarding Crohn’s disease symptoms and diagnosis. The more you know about the issue, the more likely you will be to recognize it in your own body.

Crohn’s disease symptoms can include:  Frequent and recurring diarrhea with,rectal bleeding,Unexplained weight loss, Fever, Abdominal pain and cramping, Fatigue and a feeling of low energy, & Reduced appetite.

Crohn’s can affect the entire GI tract — from the mouth to the anus — and can be progressive, so over time, your symptoms could get worse. That’s why it’s important that you have an open and honest conversation about your symptoms, since your doctor will use that information to help determine what treatment plan is best for you.

It might be helpful that you understand the differences between mild, moderate and severe symptoms, since your doctor may ask your similar questions in S/S your having to distinguish it you are in mild to very severe symptoms.

Crohn’s Disease Symptom Severity

Mild to Moderate

You may have symptoms such as:

• Frequent diarrhea
• Abdominal pain (but can walk and eat normally)
• No signs of:
  • Dehydration
  • High fever
  • Abdominal tenderness
  • Painful mass
  • Intestinal obstruction
  • Weight loss of more than 10%

Moderate to Severe

You may have symptoms such as:

• Frequent diarrhea
• Abdominal pain or tenderness
• Fever
• Significant weight loss
• Significant anemia (a few of these symptoms may include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness and headache)

Very Severe

Persistent symptoms despite appropriate treatment for moderate to severe Crohn’s, and you may also experience:

• High fever
• Persistent vomiting
• Evidence of intestinal obstruction (blockage) or abscess (localized infection or collection of pus). A few of these symptoms may include abdominal pain that doesn’t go away or gets worse, swelling of the abdomen, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
• More severe weight loss

Once you and your doctor have discussed your symptoms and created a treatment plan, it’s important to follow directions and take your treatment as prescribed. If you ever have any questions or concerns about your treatment, you should contact your doctor before making any changes or adjustments.

Crohn’s disease is unpredictable. Over time, your symptoms may change in severity, or change altogether. You may go through periods of remission—when you have few or no symptoms. Or your symptoms may come on suddenly, without warning.

Complications:

Crohn’s disease may lead to one or more of the following complications:

• Bowel obstruction. Crohn’s disease can affect the entire thickness of the intestinal wall. Over time, parts of the bowel can scar and narrow, which may block the flow of digestive contents, often known as a stricture. You may require surgery to widen the stricture or sometimes to remove the diseased portion of your bowel.
• Ulcers. Chronic inflammation can lead to open sores (ulcers) anywhere in your digestive tract, including your mouth and anus, and in the genital area (perineum).
• Fistulas. Sometimes ulcers can extend completely through the intestinal wall, creating a fistula — an abnormal connection between different body parts. Fistulas can develop between your intestine and your skin, or between your intestine and another organ. Fistulas near or around the anal area (perianal) are the most common kind.When fistulas develop inside the abdomen, it may lead to infections and abscesses, which are collections of pus. These can be life-threatening if not treated. Fistulas may form between loops of bowel, in the bladder or vagina, or through the skin, causing continuous drainage of bowel contents to your skin.
• Anal fissure. This is a small tear in the tissue that lines the anus or in the skin around the anus where infections can occur. It’s often associated with painful bowel movements and may lead to a perianal fistula.
• Malnutrition. Diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping may make it difficult for you to eat or for your intestine to absorb enough nutrients to keep you nourished. It’s also common to develop anemia due to low iron or vitamin B-12 caused by the disease.
• Colon cancer. Having Crohn’s disease that affects your colon increases your risk of colon cancer. General colon cancer screening guidelines for people without Crohn’s disease call for a colonoscopy at least every 10 years beginning at age 45. In people with Crohn’s disease affecting a large part of the colon, a colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer is recommended about 8 years after disease onset and generally is performed every 1 to 2 years afterward. Ask your doctor whether you need to have this test done sooner and more frequently.
• Skin disorders. Many people with Crohn’s disease may also develop a condition called hidradenitis suppurativa. This skin disorder involves deep nodules, tunnels and abscesses in the armpits, groin, under the breasts, and in the perianal or genital area.
• Other health problems. Crohn’s disease can also cause problems in other parts of the body. Among these problems are low iron (anemia), osteoporosis, arthritis, and gallbladder or liver disease.
• Medication risks. Certain Crohn’s disease drugs that act by blocking functions of the immune system are associated with a small risk of developing cancers such as lymphoma and skin cancers. They also increase the risk of infections.Corticosteroids can be associated with a risk of osteoporosis, bone fractures, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes and high blood pressure, among other conditions. Work with your doctor to determine risks and benefits of medications.
• Blood clots.

Treatment:

There is currently no cure for Crohn’s disease, and there is no single treatment that works for everyone. One goal of medical treatment is to reduce the inflammation that triggers your signs and symptoms. Another goal is to improve long-term prognosis by limiting complications. In the best cases, this may lead not only to symptom relief but also to long-term remission.

Anti-inflammatory drugs

Anti-inflammatory drugs are often the first step in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. They include:

• Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids such as prednisone and budesonide (Entocort EC) can help reduce inflammation in your body, but they don’t work for everyone with Crohn’s disease.Corticosteroids may be used for short-term (3 to 4 months) symptom improvement and to induce remission. Corticosteroids may also be used in combination with an immune system suppressor to induce the benefit from other medications. They are then eventually tapered off.
• Oral 5-aminosalicylates. These drugs are generally not beneficial in Crohn’s disease. They include sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), which contains sulfa, and mesalamine (Delzicol, Pentasa, others). Oral 5-aminosalicylates were widely used in the past but now are generally considered of very limited benefit.

Immune system suppressors

These drugs also reduce inflammation, but they target your immune system, which produces the substances that cause inflammation. For some people, a combination of these drugs works better than one drug alone.

Immune system suppressors include:

• Azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) and mercaptopurine (Purinethol, Purixan). These are the most widely used immunosuppressants for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Taking them requires that you follow up closely with your doctor and have your blood checked regularly to look for side effects, such as a lowered resistance to infection and inflammation of the liver. They may also cause nausea and vomiting.
• Methotrexate (Trexall). This drug is sometimes used for people with Crohn’s disease who don’t respond well to other medications. You will need to be followed closely for side effects.

Biologics

This class of therapies targets proteins made by the immune system. Types of biologics used to treat Crohn’s disease include:

• Vedolizumab (Entyvio). This drug works by stopping certain immune cell molecules — integrins — from binding to other cells in your intestinal lining. Vedolizumab is a gut-specific agent and is approved for Crohn’s disease. A similar medication to vedolizumab known as natalizumab was previously used for Crohn’s disease but is no longer used due to side effect concerns, including a fatal brain disease.
• Infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira) and certolizumab pegol (Cimzia). Also known as TNF inhibitors, these drugs work by neutralizing an immune system protein known as tumor necrosis factor (TNF).
• Ustekinumab (Stelara). This was recently approved to treat Crohn’s disease by interfering with the action of an interleukin, which is a protein involved in inflammation.
• Risankizumab (Skyrizi). This medication acts against a molecule known as interleukin-23 and was recently approved for treatment of Crohn’s disease.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics can reduce the amount of drainage from fistulas and abscesses and sometimes heal them in people with Crohn’s disease. Some researchers also think that antibiotics help reduce harmful bacteria that may be causing inflammation in the intestine. Frequently prescribed antibiotics include ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and metronidazole (Flagyl).

Other medications

In addition to controlling inflammation, some medications may help relieve your signs and symptoms. But always talk to your doctor before taking any nonprescription medications. Depending on the severity of your Crohn’s disease, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following:

• Anti-diarrheals. A fiber supplement, such as psyllium powder (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel), can help relieve mild to moderate diarrhea by adding bulk to your stool. For more severe diarrhea, loperamide (Imodium A-D) may be effective.These medications could be ineffective or even harmful in some people with strictures or certain infections. Please consult your health care provider before you take these medications.
• Pain relievers. For mild pain, your doctor may recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) — but not other common pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve). These drugs are likely to make your symptoms worse and can make your disease worse as well.
• Vitamins and supplements. If you’re not absorbing enough nutrients, your doctor may recommend vitamins and nutritional supplements.

Surgery

If diet and lifestyle changes, drug therapy, or other treatments don’t relieve your signs and symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery. Nearly half of those with Crohn’s disease will require at least one surgery. However, surgery does not cure Crohn’s disease.

During surgery, your surgeon removes a damaged portion of your digestive tract and then reconnects the healthy sections. Surgery may also be used to close fistulas and drain abscesses.

The benefits of surgery for Crohn’s disease are usually temporary. The disease often recurs, frequently near the reconnected tissue. The best approach is to follow surgery with medication to minimize the risk of recurrence.

Up to 20% of people with Crohns have a blood relative who has IBD!

Approximately 700,000 people are affected by Crohn’s disease in America.

Can occur at any time, but most often starts between ages

15-35 years old!

Symptoms range from mild to severe (listed above).