Common Name(s):
Ulcerative Colitis Disease
Alternative Names & Classifications:
Colitis Ulcerosa (CLINICAL), Ulcerative Colitis (CLINICAL)
Description
The immune system inappropriately attacks the innermost mucosal lining of the large intestine, creating a continuous sheet of bleeding ulcers. It generally begins in the rectum and spreads steadily upward into the colon, heavily affecting adolescents and young adults. The chronic cycle of extreme inflammation and subsequent healing significantly increases the patient's long-term risk of developing colorectal cancer.