Oncologists at ETH Zurich have found a link between circadian rhythms and cancer development. The results of the research have been published magazine Trends in Cell Biology.
The scientific community has long known that the regular disruption of circadian rhythms can lead to the development of cancer. As it turns out, the time of day is critical for the treatment of the disease. Oncologists came to this conclusion after analyzing more than 100 scientific papers on circadian rhythms and their effects on cancerous tumors.
The fact is that the rate of development of cancerous tumors varies during the day, and each type of tumor has its own regimen. For example, breast cancer actively progresses at night. Other types of disease are characterized by other time periods.
“By knowing these periods, we can affect cancer more effectively. We will also be able to diagnose the disease better. For example, using the blood test-based liquid biopsy method, patients with suspected breast cancer can be assigned a test at one time, and another time if a prostate gland tumor is suspected.”