Designing the Perfect Strike Against Cancer: Clocking In with the Circadian Rhythm

A continuous rise in cancer incidence highlights the urgent need for innovative approaches to detect, diagnose, and treat this disease, while maintaining the quality of life for cancer patients. The circadian rhythm governs a broad spectrum of cellular processes, and its disruption has been linked to cancer development and metastasis. Consequently, circadian biology has emerged as a promising avenue for uncovering vulnerabilities and developing strategies to tackle cancer and its spread. In this review, we explore how circadian disruption impairs cellular homeostasis and affects carcinogenesis. We also examine the bidirectional relationship between the circadian rhythm and metastasis, presenting how a localized cellular disturbance can evolve into a systemic, whole-body imbalance. Finally, we review recent chronotherapy trials and discuss how leveraging circadian biology could inform the development of more effective cancer treatments.