Sleep health: an unappreciated key player in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant threat to human life and health. Global cancer prevalence data in 2022 indicated that the number of new cases of CRC was about 1.92 million and the deaths were around 900,000. A variety of risk factors, including genes and environment, can induce the occurrence of CRC. Previous studies have focused on the impact of dietary patterns on the development of CRC and have ignored sleep factors. Sleep deprivation is a common problem as people's work pressure increases. Sleep disorders can lead to metabolic and immune system dysregulation in people, contributing to the development and progression of many tumors. At present, there are few reports on the relationship between sleep disorders and tumors. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to summarize and interpret the relationship between various sleep disorders and the onset and progression of CRC. This review is the first to investigate the possible mechanisms of sleep leading to CRC from the perspectives of metabolic reprogramming, intestinal microbiota disorders, and the release of inflammatory factors. In conclusion, this study highlights the rational sleep pattern and duration, which can help inhibit the occurrence of CRC.