Overview
Pathological Varieties for Ulcerative Colitis
Clinic Classification of Ulcerative Colitis
The Dilemma of Treatments for UC
Chinese Herbs Can Induce and Maintain Remission of UC
Discussion
Chronic non-specific ulcerative colitis, abbreviated as ulcerative colitis (UC), is a kind of unknown reason disease. It is limited to the colon and affects only the mucosa and sub mucosa except in the most severe cases. In the United States, the incidence is about 4 to 6 per 100,000 of the population. This condition has increased in recent decades. UC can occur in people of any age; the onset of this disease peaks between the age of 15 and 35 years and is more common among whites and females.
The outlook for people with UC depends on three factors:
(1) The severity of active disease.
(2) The duration of each incident that the individual suffers.
(3) The individual’s response to the treatment.
Half the people with UC have a clinically mild case, but almost all (97%) have at least one relapse during a 10-year period. About 5 percent of people with UC develop colon cancer; it depends on the intensity of colon damage and the duration of each episode. Scientists believe that UC itself, with long term and severe damage, is a form of precancerosis, and is the same as a precancerous change of dysplasia. Eventually, 25 to 40 percent of people with UC undergo surgery to remove their colon. On rare occasions, the disease runs a fulminant course; the toxic form of the UC can lead to death. This is the reason why the World Health Organization has put UC on the list of modern refractory diseases. (1)