Circadian Oncology: Timing, Cancer Treatment, and Patient Outcomes

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Circadian-Oncology-Timing-Cancer-Treatment-and-Patient-Outcomes.aspx Circadian rhythms influence cancer biology, treatment response, toxicity, and patient outcomes by affecting cellular processes, metabolism, immunity, sleep, and hormonal signaling. Aligning therapies with individual biological timing could improve cancer care, but clinical benefits vary by treatment, tumor type, sex, and circadian phase. The circadian clock regulates a wide range of biological processes that maintain cellular homeostasis. Disruptions to these internal rhythms may contribute to cancer development and progression, which has driven researchers to explore new therapeutic strategies like chronotherapy that align cancer treatment with individual circadian biology. In mammals, a central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus coordinates peripheral clocks distributed throughout tissues and organs through neural, hormonal, metabolic, and temperature-related signals.