Patients with longstanding ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s colitis are at increased risk of colorectal cancer. Currently, the surveillance programme directed at detection of flat mucosal dysplasia is the basis of colorectal cancer prophylaxis. However, this programme has poor effectivity and is not rutinely applied. Technical progress in the field of endoscopic imaging allows now to detect even initial stages of epithelial neoplasia. Besides endoscopes with capability of high resolution, there are chromoendoscopy and zoom endoscopy which could be used for detection of intraepithelial neoplasia. The confocal endomicroscopy has also currently been developed. It is our belief that current surveillance programme will be replaced in the near future by detailed endoscopic examination with targeted biopsies instead of taking many random biopsies throughout the entire large bowel.

        Key words: colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, dysplasia, endoscopy