Prospective cohort study of bowel-related symptoms and dietary fiber intake in colorectal cancer survivors

Colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors frequently report bowel-related symptoms, but longitudinal data are scarce and diet has not been extensively investigated in relation to these symptoms. A prospective cohort study using data from the Colorectal Cancer: Longitudinal, Observational Study on Nutritional and Lifestyle Factors (COLON) at 11 centers in The Netherlands included 1751 survivors of stage I-IV CRC recruted at diagnosis and followed-up for 5 years. The prevalence of bowel-related symptoms was 47% at 6 months, 41% at 2 years, and 36% at 5 years after CRC diagnosis. Higher fiber intake was associated with a lower prevalence of diarrhea at 6 months and 2 years, while the association was not statistically significant at 5 years. The authors conclude that prevalence of bowel-related symptoms was high during the 5 years after diagnosis, highlighting a need for effective symptom management.