What happens if IBD is left untreated?

If IBD, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is left untreated, you can experience a range of serious complications affecting all areas of the body, (e.g abscess, narrowing of the bowel), some of which can be life-threatening such as perforation and over a long time increase your chance of developing cancer. If you have symptoms or a diagnosis of IBD, it’s important to seek specialist care so you can receive effective ongoing treatment and monitoring.