MiR-155 and miR-21 appeared significantly over-expressed in the colonic mucosa of IBD subjects without CRC, but also in neoplastic tissues of IBD patients compared to non-IBD controls (p<0.001). Importantly, in patients with IBD-CRCs, miR-155 and miR-21 over-expression extended to the distant non-neoplastic mucosa (p<0.001).