The role of the circadian clock in cancer
The circadian clock is our biological pacemaker, controlling daily rhythms in sleep regulation, food intake, endocrine, metabolic and immune functions. Disrupting that clock helps drive the development of colon and rectal cancer, UC Irvine cancer researchers have demonstrated.
In a recent study published in the journal Nature Cancer, researchers led by Selma Masri, PhD — a UC Irvine associate professor of biological chemistry and researcher with the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center — reported that disturbing the circadian clock’s role in immune response, metabolism, DNA damage response and repair results in a variety of cancers.
The study, a comprehensive overview of circadian clock misalignment, found that exposure to constant artificial light at night or chronic jet lag increased the burden of colorectal cancer in mouse models.
In particular, the researchers highlighted "the disruption of the internal circadian clock and external cues through exposure to light-at-night and erratic eating patterns, and cancer risk, with a particular focus on early-onset colorectal cancer."
Given modern society’s erratic work, eating and sleeping patterns, the study called for rigorous research to explore a potential link between circadian clock disruptions and the alarming rise in colorectal cancer among adults under age 40.
The study also surveyed efforts to reduce the incidence of cancer among night shift workers, as well as the timing of cancer treatments to improve effectiveness and limit side effects.
“Overall, the circadian clock presents a unique, complex and underexplored connection between human health and disease, which has the potential for therapeutic value in cancer prevention and treatment,” the study’s authors concluded.