El-Saka AM, et al. - Whether progression to/development of future IBD or other diagnoses of specific colitis could be predicted by using a chemokine panel (CCR9, CD146 and Foxp3) in patients with lower gastrointestinal symptoms found to have non-specific colitis (NSC) (but do not have current IBD), was determined in this study with 182 patients experiencing chronic diarrhea and or constipation, abdominal distention and pain with negative history for IBD. Researchers found IBD patients had significantly expressed examined markers, distinguishing them from NSC patients except for CCR9 expression was statistically insignificant in CD patients. Compared with each marker alone, the combined use of the studied markers had more statistical significance as per the ROC curves in the prediction of progression using the studied panel. The participants were observed over a median duration of 12 months. Findings revealed a promising potential of this panel of markers to serve as predictive markers for early IBD, distinguishing IBD from NSC and as potential treatment targets.