Background: In patients with colorectal cancer, alterations in iron metabolism may occur, and one biomarker used to assess iron status is soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR). The consumption of iron-containing foods is suspected to influence body iron status; however, the relationship between the frequency of iron-rich food consumption and sTfR levels in colorectal cancer patients has not been widely studied.
Objective: To determine the association between the frequency of iron-rich food consumption and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) levels.
Methods: This study was an analytical observational study with a cross-sectional design. Data were collected using a modified Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ)-based questionnaire and medical record data. Bivariate analysis was performed using Spearman’s correlation test to assess the relationship between the frequency of consumption of iron-rich foods and sTfR levels, as well as the Mann-Whitney test to compare sTfR levels based on categorical variables.
Results: The results showed that 51.25% of patients (n=80) were categorized as having a low frequency of iron-rich food consumption, while 48.75% were categorized as having a high frequency. The sTfR levels in patients had a median value of 0.200 mg/dL with a range from 0.092 mg/dL to 3.103 mg/dL Bivariate test results indicated no significant association (ρ = -0,1197; p = 0,290) between the frequency of consuming foods high in iron and levels of soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR).
Conclusion: There is no significant association between the frequency of iron-rich food intake and soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR) biomarker among colorectal cancer patients in Yogyakarta. These findings suggest that iron status in Colorectal Cancer patients may be driven by clinical or pathophysiological factors rather than dietary frequency alone.