Recent studies suggest that the anti-inflammatory agent balsalazide (BSZ) and probiotic agent VSL#3 have potential therapeutic benefits for the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. However, their effectiveness in preventing colitis-associated carcinogenesis (CAC) remains uncertain. The aim of the present study was to determine the chemopreventive effects of BSZ and VSL#3 in the murine azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) model.