Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative Colitis

Question: A 40-year-old woman has suffered from ulcerative colitis for eight years and has been taking mesalazine enteric-coated tablets continuously. On January 9, 2015, a colonoscopy revealed polyps 40 cm from the anus. The doctor said that because the inflammation is active, surgery cannot be performed. To date, no surgery has been done. Does this mean that inflammatory polyps will eventually become cancerous if left untreated? What good methods does TCM offer for treating ulcerative colitis?

Answer: Polyps can indeed become cancerous, but the rate of transformation is very low. Don’t assume that all polyps will turn cancerous just because they’re present. Most polyps remain asymptomatic even without surgery. The key here is ulcerative colitis itself, which differs from ordinary colitis in that it has an autoimmune component, making it difficult for Western medicine to completely eliminate the inflammation. TCM, with its approach of syndrome differentiation, tends to be more effective.

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