Taking Crohn’s Disease Personally

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a heterogeneous disorder that can involve any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. The pathogenesis of CD is unknown but is thought to involve an uncontrolled immune response triggered by an environmental factor in a genetically susceptible host. The heterogeneity of disease pathogenesis and clinical course, combined with the variable response to treatment and its associated side effects, creates an environment of complex therapeutic decisions. Despite this complexity, significant progress has been made which allows physicians to start and predict disease behavior and natural course, response to therapy, and factors associated with significant side effects. In this manuscript the data pertaining to these variables including clinical, endoscopic and the various biological and genetic markers are reviewed, and the possibility of tailoring personal treatment is discussed.