Pär Myrelid © ECCO

The 18th ECCO Congress and 12^th S-ECCO IBD Masterclass provided many of us with the opportunity finally to meet in real life and delivered much new knowledge and numerous new insights. This year’s Masterclass was opened by Christianne Buskens, who in a very distinct manner showed us what kind of effect the pandemic and all virtual meetings have had on us by showing a picture from last year’s virtual meeting (we all looked terribly concerned and sad). This can be compared with a picture from this year’s meeting, where good old friends reunited to discuss IBD.

After two years of virtual meetings, the main goal of the 18^th ECCO Congress, held in Copenhagen (March 1–4, 2023), was “Let’s get physical”. During this conference we enjoyed the face-to-face interaction, which provided a positive boost to the 8^th H-ECCO Masterclass. The aim of our meeting was not only to discuss the histopathological aspects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease but also to demonstrate the interaction between the different specialisms, which reflects the multidisciplinary collaboration in our daily practice.

Introduction to Diets in the Management of IBD

Prof. Franck Carbonnel
Professor of Gastroenterology, University Paris Sud, France
Head, Gastroenterology Department, University Hospital of Kremlin Bicetre, Paris, France

In recent years, studies have shown the associations between food and the risks of developing Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

An early study showed a significant link between the consumption of red meat and the likelihood of developing Ulcerative Colitis (UC). Subsequent studies deepened our knowledge, pointing to associations between UC and a high consumption of omega-6, and low consumption of omega-3, fiber (fruit and vegetables), zinc and potassium.^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}

Other studies have shown a decreased risk of Crohn’s Disease (CD) in people who consume a larger proportion of unprocessed or minimally processed food, and an association between proinflammatory diets, ultra-processed foods, non-Mediterranean diet and CD.^{1-8,10,11,12,13,14}

This March, the highly anticipated Pfizer symposia at ECCO 2023 delivered interesting, engaging, and thought-provoking updates for the treatment of patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC).

The first of the two symposia took place on Thursday 2 March, as we asked delegates to join us at the crossroads in UC patient care. The ‘Choose your own path: UC patients at the crossroads’ symposium provided an engaging and interactive experience, led by distinguished faculty members Dr Peter Irving, Dr Joana Torres, Dr Maria T Abreu, and Dr Iris Dotan. Delegates entered the symposium hall to a rocking soundtrack from The Clash, Fleetwood Mac, Blondie, and Queen: a nod to the music stars’ top hits in each of the symposium presentation titles set the tone, looking to an upbeat future for patients with UC.

During the 18^th ECCO Congress, Takeda collaborated with world-renowned experts to share practical tips for increasing treatment adherence, share key data, discuss new attitudes to treatment goals, and showcase real clinical experience. If you missed out on attending, then do not worry: you can read the highlights below and watch some of these sessions on-demand!  

Maria Chaparro © ECCO

The study entitled "Withdrawal of anti-tumour necrosis factor in Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients in remission: a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial" received one of the two Best Investigator-Initiated Study Award at ECCO’23.

Biologic anti-TNF drugs have been a game changer for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. However, long-term maintenance of these drugs may be associated with potential adverse events and high costs. Therefore, patients and physicians are wondering whether it is possible to discontinue these drugs without significantly increasing the risk of recurrence.

Pär Myrelid © ECCO

In many countries, cancer patients have had structural pathways for a number of years. Regardless of whether these are called two-week referrals, urgent referrals or cancer pathways, they have improved the care for many patients with a suspected malignancy. In a society with limited access to medical care, however, an improvement like this may come at a cost. Unfortunately, patients with chronic disease may be among those paying the price for the structural pathways within Oncology. This price comes in many different forms, but for our Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients it particularly involves prolonged waiting times for radiology, endoscopy and surgery. Thus the improvement achieved for patients with, for example, suspected colorectal cancer may at the same time represent an impairment for patients with an increased risk of developing the same type of cancer as intervals between endoscopic surveillance sessions tend to increase.

Tanja Kuehbacher © ECCO

In the fast-paced world of medical research and drug development, efficient data management and transparent communication are critical factors for success. To address these challenges, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has launched a new Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) that went live on January 31, 2022 [1, 2]. The CTIS is the backbone of the Clinical Trials Regulation, which will harmonise the assessment and supervision of clinical trials in the European Union. There is a transition period until January 31, 2025. Any ongoing trial that has been approved under the Clinical Trial Directive will then fall under the Clinical Trials Regulation [1–3].

Shaji Sebastian  © ECCO

Murat Toruner © ECCO

In the past, IBD was believed to be predominantly a disease of the Western world. However, recent studies have shown a rapidly increasing incidence of IBD in newly developing areas such as the Middle East, South America and Asia. By the middle of this century, the prevalence of IBD in low and lower-middle income countries (LLMICs) and newly industrialised nations may surpass that in the West. At the same time, the compound prevalence in the Western world and increasing health care costs will add to the challenges in IBD care. As a result of these epidemiological trends, IBD is projected to be an increasing global health burden.