Anti-inflammatory diet increases survival in colorectal cancer patients

Colorectal cancer patients who followed an anti-inflammatory diet during a phase 3 clinical trial had a higher overall survival rate after treatment compared to those who ate pro-inflammatory (inflammation-promoting) foods, according to an analysis from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Increased physical activity may also amplify the positive effects on survival.

One of the most common questions patients ask is what they should do after treatment to maximize their risk of cancer recurrence and improve survival.

Dr. Sara Char, first author, clinical research fellow in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, presented research that answers that question at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2025 Annual Meeting in Chicago on June 1.

Colorectal cancer is diagnosed in approximately 150,000 people in the United States each year. It is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The median 5-year survival rate for patients with stage III colorectal cancer is about 80 percent, but 25 to 35 percent of patients experience cancer recurrence during that time.

This study provides further evidence that diet may be important in improving outcomes and survival in patients with stage III colorectal cancer.

The CALGB/SWOG 80702 (Alliance) study was initiated in 2010 and was designed to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence among patients with stage III colorectal cancer. Patients underwent surgery followed by 3- or 6-month chemotherapy with or without the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib. They were also able to complete diet and lifestyle questionnaires. Of the 2,526 patients included in the study, 1,625 were eligible for this study after completing food frequency and physical activity questionnaires.

Using the food frequency questionnaire responses, the researchers calculated for each patient an empirical diet-dependent inflammation pattern (EDIP) score, a validated tool to approximate how inflammatory a particular diet is. Pro-inflammatory diets include increased amounts of red meat, processed meats, refined grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages, while anti-inflammatory diets often include coffee, tea, and a variety of vegetables, including leafy greens.

The pro-inflammatory diet is enriched with these pro-inflammatory food groups, while the diet should include more anti-inflammatory food groups to reduce inflammation.

The researchers ranked the diet from most pro-inflammatory to least and assessed overall survival by following patients for years. They found that patients who ate the most pro-inflammatory foods (in the top 20 percent of the rankings) had an 87 percent higher risk of death than those who ate the least pro-inflammatory foods (in the bottom 20 percent).

Previous studies have shown that systemic inflammation may increase the risk of colorectal cancer development and progression. In addition, randomized clinical trials have shown that the use of anti-inflammatory drugs may reduce the risk of cancer recurrence in selected patients with stage III colorectal cancer. This study adds to research suggesting that diet may also influence cancer outcome after treatment.

This clinical trial also collected information on physical activity, assessing average weekly exercise intensity. Patients who were considered to have a high level of physical activity reported walking regularly at a pace of 2-3 kilometers per hour for an hour about three times a week or more often.

According to the study results, patients who consumed more anti-inflammatory foods and engaged in physical activity had better overall survival rates and a 63% lower risk of death compared to patients who consumed more pro-inflammatory foods and engaged in less physical activity.

Because the patients in the study were randomized to receive chemotherapy with or without the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib, the researchers examined the effect of celecoxib use on the results of the analysis. They found that the use of celecoxib had no significant effect on the association between diet and survival.

Severance Gangnam Hospital Republic of Korea,SeoulLeave a request

Adatip Hospital TurkeyLeave a request

R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Leave a request

Published: 02.06.2025

Updated: 02.06.2025

Medical author, Medical editor:

Stepan Yuk

Medical expert:

PhD. Olexandr Voznyak