Circadian rhythms, which govern various cellular functions such as gene expression and cell repair, can have a profound impact on cancer progression, metastasis and even response to therapy, according to a study by researchers at ETH Zurich. have a nature. Harnessing this knowledge through chronotherapy, optimal time-of-day dosing and immunotherapy can improve cancer diagnostic accuracy, reduce treatment side effects, and increase treatment success rates. There is a possibility. However, this timing depends on the type and type of cancer. It may be influenced by factors such as the patient’s gender and genetic background.
Your body clock, also known as your circadian rhythm, is not only responsible for managing your sleep patterns. It also influences cancer development, detection and treatment strategies.
Recent review articles published in journals Trends in cell biology It describes the influence of circadian rhythms on tumor growth and metastasis. This study suggests that optimizing the timing of cancer screening and treatment sessions to match the circadian rhythm may increase diagnostic accuracy and improve treatment planning efficacy.
“Circadian rhythms govern most of the cellular functions involved in cancer progression, and thus their exploitation opens up promising new directions in the fight against metastasis,” said ETH Zurich. Authors Zoe Diamantopoulou, Anna Gvozdenovich and Nicola Aceto, molecular oncologists, Switzerland.
Our circadian rhythms help our bodies synchronize various tasks throughout the day, including gene expression, immune function, and cell repair. We know that chronically disrupted circadian rhythms, as a result of irregular sleep patterns, jet lag, and shift work, can predispose to many health problems, including cancer. has known for many years.
More recent studies have shown that circadian rhythms are involved not only in tumor development, but also in cancer progression, metastasis, and colonization of secondary sites in the body.
Metastasis is the leading cause of death in cancer patients. For metastasis to occur, cells must leave the primary tumor, enter the bloodstream, and migrate to and invade new organs.
Studies show that the rate at which cancer cells leave the primary tumor and enter the bloodstream fluctuates rhythmically throughout the day, and the timing of this rhythm varies by cancer type. For example, breast cancer is more likely to metastasize during sleep at night, whereas prostate cancer and multiple myeloma peak metastasis at other times during the day.
The authors argue that this information can be used to administer chemotherapy and immunotherapy that target tumor cells at optimal times. Giving medications or immunotherapy at specific times of the day is known as chronotherapy.
“Circadian rhythm-based metastasis formation should be viewed as an opportunity to intervene in the most timely and effective manner,” the authors write. “Chronotherapy is expected to be a valuable alternative treatment option in the fight against cancer.”
Clinical studies have shown that chronotherapy may reduce the severity of side effects experienced by patients and may also affect treatment efficacy. For example, the authors recently found that melanoma patients who received immunotherapy drugs before 4:30 p.m. were nearly twice as likely to survive as those treated later in the day. describes the research of Optimal timing varies by cancer type and treatment modality, and the authors also noted that the clinical benefits of chronotherapy may be influenced by factors such as the patient’s gender and genetic background. I’m here.
Knowledge of the circadian rhythm of cancer cells may also be useful in diagnosing cancer. Cancer cells produce proteins at varying rates throughout her day, and some of these proteins are used as diagnostic molecular markers. Collecting and testing biopsies at times when concentrations of these proteins are highest can reduce the chance of misdiagnosing a patient.
“Further understanding of the mechanisms of these processes is needed to realize their full clinical potential,” the authors write. “In other types of cancer, defining the circadian rhythm-controlled timing of circulating tumor cell proliferation and release into the bloodstream may help identify the optimal timeframe for therapeutic administration. there is.”
References: Zoi Diamantopoulou, Ana Gvozdenovich, Nikola Aceto, “A New Time Dimension in the Fight against Transference,” 24 March 2023, Available here. Trends in cell biology.
DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.02.002
This study was funded by the European Research Council, the European Commission, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Cancer Federation, and the Swiss Institute of Technology Zurich Foundation.