Higher fibre intake may improve High Bowel Symptom Burden in CRC Survivors: JAMA

The study analysed survivors recruited at diagnosis and followed them at 6 months, 2 years and 5 years after surgery. Patients who reported higher fibre intake—estimated from validated questionnaires—showed significantly reduced rates of moderate to severe diarrhea at the 6-month and 2-year time points. The researchers emphasised that this was independent of major treatment differences, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and that dietary modification may offer a non-pharmacological strategy to manage long-term bowel dysfunction after cancer therapy.

Clinically, these findings suggest that dietary counselling and nutritional support should become standard components of survivorship care in colorectal cancer. Given the high burden of persistent bowel symptoms and their impact on quality of life, healthcare teams should emphasise fibre-rich diets as part of long-term follow-up. While further research is needed to define optimal fibre amounts and to explore effects on other gut symptoms, the evidence supports integrating nutrition into post-cancer care for better patient outcomes.

Keywords:

colorectal cancer survivors, bowel symptoms, dietary fibre intake, diarrhea, cancer survivorship, nutritional counselling