Circadian rhythm, a natural cycle that regulates many biological processes, operates on a 24-hour cycle. Changes in light and dark significantly impact circadian cycles, and abnormalities can disrupt everyday necessities like sleep, body temperature regulation, release of hormones, and appetite. Circadian rhythm can also regulate cellular processes related to health and immunity.
Cellular proliferation and metastasis represent some cellular processes regulated by the circadian clock and directly related to cancer growth and development. Research has demonstrated that patients with some types of cancer, including breast and colorectal malignancies, who have mutations in circadian rhythm genes exhibit poorer survival rates.
The connections between circadian rhythm and cancer have sparked a promising avenue of study into circadian-based therapeutic approaches. Studies shown that planning medication administration around the circadian clock can significantly enhance the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs and reduce adverse effects. While the optimal timing for drug administration is still a puzzle, the potential of circadian-based therapies in cancer treatment is growing, offering a promising future for cancer patients and the medical community.
A new study in Nature Communications has made significant progress in understanding the impact of aligning treatment with the circadian cycle. The research, which employed a high-throughput approach including live imaging and data analysis, provided a comprehensive view of cancer cells' circadian rhythms, growth, and responsiveness to anti-cancer treatments, enlightening the medical community about the potential of circadian-based therapies.
The authors investigated the sensitivity of various anti-cancer drugs on different types of cancer cells throughout all times of the day. This approach allowed the authors to pinpoint optimal treatment times and cancer-drug combinations that worked most favorably.
While we know that the efficacy of any particular medicine depends on many factors, the study reiterates that time of day could play an important role. Just like individuals may differ on when they perform their work optimally, such as an early bird versus a night owl, our bodies respond to some therapies better at certain times of the day. Thus, determining the optimal drug delivery window for an individual patient will rely on many variables, making it a strong potential for incorporation into personalized medicine programs.