The Hidden Power of Body Clocks in Cancer Treatment

Our bodies run on a 24-hour rhythm, known as circadian rhythms. These rhythms control many things, like when we sleep and wake up, as well as how our hormones and metabolism work. The main conductor of these rhythms is the circadian clock, located in a small part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). When these rhythms are disrupted, it can lead to health problems. Shift work, jet lag, and even certain genes can mess up our body clocks. This can contribute to issues like sleep problems, heart disease, and even cancer. Cancer cells have their own circadian clocks too. These clocks can influence how cancer starts, grows, and responds to treatment. They affect things like how cancer cells divide, repair damaged DNA, and die. Interestingly, the timing of cancer treatment can make a big difference. Some treatments, like chemo or radiation, work better and have fewer side effects if given at specific times. This is called chronotherapy. Some studies have shown that giving chemo drugs like cisplatin or 5-fluorouracil at the right time can make them more effective and cause fewer problems. But there's still a lot we don't know. Scientists are trying to figure out how our body clocks affect cancer and how we can use this knowledge to make cancer treatments better. Maybe one day, doctors will be able to personalize treatments based on each patient's unique body clock.