Colorectal cancer therapy and nutrition: From ultra-processed consumption to metabolic reprogramming

Figure 3 Effects of dietary patterns on metabolic reprogramming, gut integrity, and colorectal cancer risk and progression. A healthy dietary pattern, characterized by a higher intake of phytochemicals, omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, and prebiotics, promotes a balanced microbiota, increased production of short-chain fatty acids, improved mucosal integrity, and an anti-inflammatory immune response, thereby enhancing chemotherapy efficacy. In contrast, an ultra-processed or Western diet, rich in sugars, saturated fats, emulsifiers, and low in fiber, leads to dysbiosis, mucus degradation, and gut barrier disruption, resulting in a pro-inflammatory immune response, metabolic reprogramming (increased glycolysis and lipid metabolism), oxidative stress, and chemotherapy resistance. Created in BioRender (Supplementary material). SCFA: Short-chain fatty acid; IL-10: Interleukin-10.