Jennings N, Deogaonkar AN, Borum ML. Nutritional and inflammatory factors in colorectal cancer: Considerations for practice. World J Clin Oncol 2026; 17(3): 112886 [DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v17.i3.112886]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Anushka Narayan Deogaonkar, Research Fellow, Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, George Washington University, 2600 Virginia Avenue, Washington, DC 20037, United States. anushkadeogaonkar1@gmail.com
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Oncology
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Letter to the Editor
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Mar 24, 2026 (publication date) through Mar 26, 2026
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Publication Name
World Journal of Clinical Oncology
ISSN
2218-4333
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Jennings N, Deogaonkar AN, Borum ML. Nutritional and inflammatory factors in colorectal cancer: Considerations for practice. World J Clin Oncol 2026; 17(3): 112886 [DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v17.i3.112886]
World J Clin Oncol. Mar 24, 2026; 17(3): 112886 Published online Mar 24, 2026. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v17.i3.112886
Nutritional and inflammatory factors in colorectal cancer: Considerations for practice
Nicholas Jennings, Anushka Narayan Deogaonkar, Marie L Borum
Nicholas Jennings, Anushka Narayan Deogaonkar, Marie L Borum, Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, United States
Co-first authors: Nicholas Jennings and Anushka Narayan Deogaonkar.
Author contributions: Jennings N collected and analyzed data for the institutional review of online colorectal cancer resources, assisted with manuscript preparation and reference formatting; Deogaonkar AN conceptualized and drafted the letter, interpreted data and provided clinical insights; Jennings N and Deogaonkar AN contributed equally to this manuscript as co-first authors; Deogaonkar AN and Borum ML revised the manuscript for intellectual content; Borum ML conducted the literature review and analysis of cited studies, interpreted findings from the institutional analysis of online colorectal cancer resources. All authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Anushka Narayan Deogaonkar, Research Fellow, Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, George Washington University, 2600 Virginia Avenue, Washington, DC 20037, United States. anushkadeogaonkar1@gmail.com
Received: August 8, 2025 Revised: September 4, 2025 Accepted: January 16, 2026 Published online: March 24, 2026 Processing time: 227 Days and 16.3 Hours
Abstract
We respond to the article by Andreescu et al. While affirming the value of markers such as serum albumin, C-reactive protein, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting clinical outcomes, we underscore key limitations in the original study, including its retrospective design and absence of standardized malnutrition criteria or nutritional intervention data. Drawing on current literature and findings from our institutional analysis of 70 colorectal cancer-related nutrition websites, we emphasize the persistent gap between clinical research and patient education. Our analysis revealed that patient-facing materials are of borderline fair quality and often exceed recommended readability levels. We advocate for prospective studies, interventional trials, and multidisciplinary collaboration to improve the integration of nutritional care in colorectal cancer management and to enhance the accessibility and quality of patient education.
Core Tip: This letter underscores the prognostic relevance of nutritional and inflammatory markers in colorectal cancer, while highlighting the gap between clinical evidence and patient education. Bridging this gap requires robust and prospective research along with the development of accessible, evidence-based resources for patients. Translating these insights into practical guidance is of utmost importance to improve outcomes and support informed patient care.
