The role of inflammation in colorectal Cancer and the preventive potential of natural compounds

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most deadly cancer and the third most common in the world. The risk of developing CRC is well understood to be increased by chronic inflammation, which activates signaling pathways promoting its progression through NF-κB and STAT3. Current therapeutic measures can be highly damaging to healthy tissue and associated with certain undesirable adverse events, highlighting the need for safer therapeutic alternatives. This review shows how natural products and bioactive compounds can provide alternatives for the prevention and management of CRC. We discuss the interaction between inflammation and immune responses and CRC progression, highlighting the importance of researching new secondary metabolites and improving the efficacy of existing compounds. A better understanding of pathways may lead to the development of new strategies to improve CRC management.