Circadian rhythms are the daily fluctuations in physiological processes that govern cell cycles and timing of behaviors. Cancer hallmarks are the cellular properties that drive the perennial growth, survival and spread of cancerous cells. The disruption of circadian rhythms can contribute to the development of some cancers by affecting the expression of genes that regulate cell growth and division, as well as their interaction with the host microenvironment and anti-cancer treatment. Some cancer cells have been found to have altered circadian rhythms compared to normal cells, which may contribute to their uncontrolled growth. Patients exhibiting disrupted circadian rhythms tend to suffer accelerated tumor growth and metastasis, tumors that are more resistant to treatment, and poorer health-related quality of life and overall survival. Circadian rhythms also temporally regulate cellular immunity, which has important implications for the burgeoning field of immune-based therapeutics. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between circadian rhythms and cancer hallmarks, and how this knowledge can be used to improve immunotherapy outcomes, cancer patients’ well-being and survival.
This timely research topic is focused within a field that produced two Nobel prize awards in Physiology or Medicine, in 2017 for circadian rhythm research, and in 2018 for the discovery of cancer immunotherapy. The aim of this special issue is to highlight clinical, translational and epidemiological science - that includes objective assessments of both circadian disruption and cancer hallmarks - in order to help elucidate the impact of circadian rhythms on processes associated with cancer and its treatments, immunotherapy in particular.
We welcome submission of Reviews, Original Research and Methodological Articles, with a special interest in the following research topics:
- Science focused on the newly proposed hallmark parameters of “unlocking phenotypic plasticity,” “nonmutational epigenetic reprogramming,” “polymorphic microbiomes,” and “senescent cells”
- Experimental, translational or clinical evidence on the impact of circadian rhythms on the efficacy and safety of immune-based anticancer therapeutics (immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, cytokines)
- Advancements in clinical measurements of circadian rhythms (eg, wearable biosensors and e-health technology) to derive non-invasive measures, in addition to establishing clinical cutoff scores, with the aim of more easily integrating circadian measurements into clinical practice, especially in patients on immunotherapy
- Clinical strategies that advance precision in targeting chrono- and behaviorally-modulated treatments (eg, pharmacologic timing, exercise, bright light exposure, chrono-nutrition) in cancer survivors
- Studies that aim to evaluate the impact of circadian rhythms on response to immune-based cancer treatment in humans.
- Data on the circadian rhythm changes in cancer cells and normal cells under different treatments, particularly immunotherapy.
- Evidence on the circadian modulation of the interaction between cancer cells and tumor microenvironment, in particular immune cells
- Data on circadian rhythms and cancer stem cells
- Clinical data on the impact of circadian rhythm disruption on cancer recurrence and progression after treatment, and/or side-effects of immunotherapy and other cancer treatments.
- Gaining a better understanding of how sleep and circadian rhythm disruption each differentially influence host-tumor defenses to delineate which of these two processes may be the stronger driver of cancer cell growth and progression, as well as cancer treatment response, particularly to immunotherapy.
Circadian rhythms are the daily fluctuations in physiological processes that govern cell cycles and timing of behaviors. Cancer hallmarks are the cellular properties that drive the perennial growth, survival and spread of cancerous cells. The disruption of circadian rhythms can contribute to the development of some cancers by affecting the expression of genes that regulate cell growth and division, as well as their interaction with the host microenvironment and anti-cancer treatment. Some cancer cells have been found to have altered circadian rhythms compared to normal cells, which may contribute to their uncontrolled growth. Patients exhibiting disrupted circadian rhythms tend to suffer accelerated tumor growth and metastasis, tumors that are more resistant to treatment, and poorer health-related quality of life and overall survival. Circadian rhythms also temporally regulate cellular immunity, which has important implications for the burgeoning field of immune-based therapeutics. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between circadian rhythms and cancer hallmarks, and how this knowledge can be used to improve immunotherapy outcomes, cancer patients’ well-being and survival.
This timely research topic is focused within a field that produced two Nobel prize awards in Physiology or Medicine, in 2017 for circadian rhythm research, and in 2018 for the discovery of cancer immunotherapy. The aim of this special issue is to highlight clinical, translational and epidemiological science - that includes objective assessments of both circadian disruption and cancer hallmarks - in order to help elucidate the impact of circadian rhythms on processes associated with cancer and its treatments, immunotherapy in particular.
We welcome submission of Reviews, Original Research and Methodological Articles, with a special interest in the following research topics:
- Science focused on the newly proposed hallmark parameters of “unlocking phenotypic plasticity,” “nonmutational epigenetic reprogramming,” “polymorphic microbiomes,” and “senescent cells”
- Experimental, translational or clinical evidence on the impact of circadian rhythms on the efficacy and safety of immune-based anticancer therapeutics (immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, cytokines)
- Advancements in clinical measurements of circadian rhythms (eg, wearable biosensors and e-health technology) to derive non-invasive measures, in addition to establishing clinical cutoff scores, with the aim of more easily integrating circadian measurements into clinical practice, especially in patients on immunotherapy
- Clinical strategies that advance precision in targeting chrono- and behaviorally-modulated treatments (eg, pharmacologic timing, exercise, bright light exposure, chrono-nutrition) in cancer survivors
- Studies that aim to evaluate the impact of circadian rhythms on response to immune-based cancer treatment in humans.
- Data on the circadian rhythm changes in cancer cells and normal cells under different treatments, particularly immunotherapy.
- Evidence on the circadian modulation of the interaction between cancer cells and tumor microenvironment, in particular immune cells
- Data on circadian rhythms and cancer stem cells
- Clinical data on the impact of circadian rhythm disruption on cancer recurrence and progression after treatment, and/or side-effects of immunotherapy and other cancer treatments.
- Gaining a better understanding of how sleep and circadian rhythm disruption each differentially influence host-tumor defenses to delineate which of these two processes may be the stronger driver of cancer cell growth and progression, as well as cancer treatment response, particularly to immunotherapy.