Individualised Care for Crohn’s Disease: Evolving Approaches for a Progressive Disease

Abstract

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, progressive, relapsing-remitting disorder characterised by periods of inflammatory activity occurring most commonly in the terminal ileum and colon, resulting in worsening bowel damage and increasing disability, which in turn are associated with significant impairment in quality of life (QoL). The recognition of CD as a progressive disease has shifted the goal of treatment from symptom management towards a focus on slowing disease progression, with the aim of reducing subsequent disability and mitigating impacts on QoL. This symposium focusses on understanding the advantages and limitations of current management strategies. It addresses the full spectrum of the complexity of CD, ranging from biologic therapy for moderately-to-severely active luminal CD, to new treatment options for complex perianal fistula based on innovative stem cell approaches.