Circadian Disruption as a Driver of Carcinogenesis: Advances in Mechanistic Understanding

Abstract

The circadian rhythm of organisms is regulated by the biological clock, a regular circadian rhythm is crucial for the physiological balance of the body and has an inhibitory effect on the development of many diseases, especially cancer. The relationship between circadian rhythm and cancer includes cell cycle regulation, hormone level changes, immune and inflammatory responses, as well as metabolic and oxidative stress regulation, indicating that maintaining a regular circadian rhythm is of great significance in preventing and treating cancer diseases. This article discusses the intricate relationship between circadian rhythm and cancer, and explores the way that circadian rhythm disorders are involved in tumorigenesis mechanisms and promote cancer progression. Maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm cycle includes avoiding exogenous factors (shift work, jet lag, artificial lighting, irregular sleep patterns) and early detection of endogenous factores (genetic factors). Mutations in clock control genes and epigenetics can promote tumor growth and also affect the efficacy of therapeutic drugs, leading to the need to regulate circadian rhythms and specific timing of administration to enhance the drug efficacy. The growth of tumors is mainly stimulated by DNA damage and decompensation of tumor suppressor genes, and then developed through immune and inflammatory responses, which are closely related to the components of the biological clock. At present, chronotherapy has been continuously explored and experimented as a highly promising cancer treatment method, and may be applied in clinical practice in the future.