TF and colorectal cancer: The study included adult patients aged 18 years or older.Participants had a diagnosis of stage M0 colorectal cancer and were scheduled for elective curative tumor removal surgery.Eligibility criteria required the presence of iron deficiency anemia, defined as hemoglobin levels below 7.5 mmol/l (12 g/dl) for women and below 8 mmol/l (13 g/dl) for men, along with a transferrin saturation of less than 20%