PRO-INFLAMMATORY diets may increase the risk of death in patients with Stage III colon cancer, according to a new analysis of dietary patterns in a large cohort of U.S. patients. The findings, presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, underscore a potential association between dietary inflammation and overall survival after surgical treatment and chemotherapy.
The study evaluated 1,625 participants from the CALGB/SWOG 80702 phase 3 trial, which originally assessed adjuvant chemotherapy duration with or without celecoxib in stage III colon cancer. Dietary and exercise habits were collected twice: 6 weeks after randomization and again at 14 to 16 months. Diets were assessed using the empirical dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP) score, which ranks consumption of food groups known to influence systemic inflammation.
Patients with the most pro-inflammatory diets—those scoring highest on the EDIP scale, were more likely to be younger, female, and non-White, and to have poorer performance status. These individuals had an 87% increased risk of death compared to those with diets considered strongly anti-inflammatory.
When considering lifestyle more broadly, researchers found that participants who both followed a less inflammatory diet and reported higher levels of physical activity (≥9 MET hours/week) experienced the most favorable survival outcomes. These individuals had a 63% lower risk of death compared with those who consumed a highly pro-inflammatory diet and exercised less.
However, no significant differences were observed in disease-free survival between dietary groups, and use of low-dose aspirin or treatment regimen assignment did not vary meaningfully across EDIP scores.
These findings suggest a possible role for dietary intervention as a modifiable factor to support survival in patients undergoing treatment for Stage III colon cancer, though further studies are needed to explore causality and clinical application.
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Pro-Inflammatory Diets Associated With Worse Outcomes for Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer. 2025. Available at: https://www.asco.org/about-asco/press-center/news-releases/pro-inflammatory-diets-associated-worse-outcomes-patients-stage-III-colon-cancer. Last accessed: 18 June 2025.
