Possible role of nutrition in the prevention of inflammatory bowel disease-related colorectal cancer: A focus on human studies

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at substantially high risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). IBD-associated CRC accounts for roughly 10% to 15% of the annual mortality in patients with IBD. IBD-related CRC also affects younger patients compared with sporadic CRC, with a 5-y survival rate of 50%. Regardless of med-ical therapies, the persistent inflammatory state characterizing IBD raises the risk for precancerous changes and CRC, with additional input from several elements, including genetic and environmental risk factors, IBD-associated comorbidities, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and gut microbiota modifications. It is well known that nutritional habits and dietary bioactive compounds can influence IBD-associated inflammation, micro -biome abundance and composition, oxidative stress balance, and gut permeability.Additionally, in recent years, results from broad epidemiologic and experimental studies have associated cer-tain foods or nutritional patterns with the risk for colorectal neoplasia. The present study aimed to review the possible role of nutrition in preventing IBD-related CRC, focusing specifically on human studies. It emerges that nutritional interventions based on healthy, nutrient-dense dietary patterns characterized by a high intake of fiber, vegetables, fruit, v-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a low amount of animal proteins, proc-essed foods, and alcohol, combined with probiotic supplementation have the potential of reducing IBD-activ-ity and preventing the risk of IBD-related CRC through different mechanisms, suggesting that targeted nutritional interventions may represent a novel promising approach for the prevention and management of IBD-associated CRC.& COPY; 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.