Patients with CD and UC have a higher risk of developing CRC compared to the general population [
3]. Despite well-documented risk factors [
5], the availability of guidelines for proper screening, surveillance, and management of pre-cancerous lesions [
30,
34,
36], and advancements in endoscope fidelity and imaging techniques, its prognosis remains poorer than that of sporadic CRC [
3]. Advancements in disease management, technology, and endoscopic quality have significantly altered our perception of precancerous lesions in IBD, bringing it closer to how we view dysplasia in the non-IBD population [
34]. The practice of performing non-targeted biopsies and recommending colectomy for patients with low-grade or invisible dysplasia is increasingly being challenged. Instead, there is a growing preference for approaches that focus on meticulous inspection and targeted sampling of visible and subtle lesions using for example HD-WLE and DCE [
34]. While endoscope fidelity and imaging techniques continue to advance, alternatives like the colon capsule are also developing. Capsule imaging is now employed to assess CD, although no publications currently address its use in detecting dysplasia in IBD [
82]. Additionally, capsule imaging cannot perform biopsies, and it is well-documented that predicting IBD lesions histologically from visual images is suboptimal [
30]. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based detection algorithms represent an exciting new frontier with the potential to assist endoscopists in identifying IBD dysplasia. AI capabilities have been tested for detecting colorectal neoplasia, but not specifically in patients with IBD [
83]. In the future, AI could become an effective and safe tool for enhancing the quality of examinations in real time (e.g., sampling time, control of blind spots), potentially increasing the adenoma detection rate even in IBD patients [
84]. Regarding patients with a previous or recent cancer diagnosis, there is limited data on the efficacy and safety of IBD therapies in patients with CRC. The recommendations in the latest ECCO guidelines for managing patients with IBD who have a history of or active oncological conditions are primarily based on data from other autoimmune diseases or various oncological situations [
40,
85,
86]. For these reasons, the treatment of IBD patients following a cancer diagnosis necessitates a personalized approach. One of the most challenging and increasingly common areas of decision-making involves patients with a recent or active malignancy [
40]. Therefore, if there is an active cancer, the primary focus should be on determining the appropriate cancer treatment under the guidance of a multidisciplinary team including oncologist, gastroenterologist, surgeon, radiologist [
63]. Having a multidisciplinary team is crucial for effective therapy management, as it enhances the quality of care, patient satisfaction, and overall outcomes [
87]. Additionally, the appropriate therapy must be tailored to the patient's characteristics, risk related to both IBD (such as disease severity, activity, choice of drug and risk of flare-up) and cancer (including risk of recurrence and time since cancer resolution) [
62]. For these patients, it is also crucial to assess whether to start a new therapy or continue an existing IBD treatment in the event of a cancer diagnosis, especially if the IBD is active [
40]. In the former scenario, selecting a treatment with the most favorable safety profile, including indirect data from non-IBD populations where relevant, is generally advisable. Regarding existing IBD treatments in the context of active cancer, it is recommended to withhold immunosuppressive therapies, particularly thiopurines [
40]. For patients already receiving TNF inhibitors, treatment can be continued, if the IBD status risk assessment indicates a high risk of flare [
40]. When patients experience flare-ups during active cancer treatment, other causes such as infections or diarrhea resulting from treatment with ICIs should first be ruled out [
62]. After differential diagnosis, 5-ASA and corticosteroids are considered safe and can be used as first-line treatments for naive patients with clinically active IBD. If there is no response to corticosteroids or in patients already treated with advanced therapies, VDZ, UST or selective IL-23 inhibitors may be considered viable alternatives [
62]. TNF inhibitors should be considered in patients with severe disease activity [
62]. Therefore, prioritizing cancer survival, it is reasonable to continue cancer therapy with close monitoring for IBD using non-invasive tools such as intestinal ultrasound [
88] and fecal calprotectin measurement [
89].