Research indicates that the timing of immunotherapy administration may play a crucial role in improving survival rates for patients with cancer. A study published in the journal Cancer reveals that patients who receive anticancer immunotherapy earlier in the day tend to live longer. This finding underscores the significance of the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, which influences various physiological processes, including immune responses.
The study involved 397 patients diagnosed with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. These individuals received immunotherapy treatments, specifically atezolizumab or durvalumab, in combination with chemotherapy. The research was conducted at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University in China, spanning from May 2019 to October 2023.
Patients who received treatment before 3:00 pm experienced notably better outcomes. The researchers discovered that these individuals enjoyed significantly longer progression-free survival, which refers to the duration without cancer progression, as well as overall survival compared to those receiving treatment later in the day. When accounting for various influencing factors, earlier treatment was associated with a 52% reduction in the risk of cancer progression and a 63% decrease in the risk of death.
Dr. Yongchang Zhang, the senior author of the study, emphasized the practical implications of these findings. “Adjusting infusion timing is a straightforward and easily implementable intervention that can be adopted across diverse healthcare settings without additional cost,” he stated. He added that the study has “immediate clinical applicability” and holds the potential to transform existing treatment protocols for small cell lung cancer.
The research points towards a potential shift in how immunotherapy is administered, suggesting that health professionals might want to consider the time of day when scheduling treatments. This approach could lead to improved patient outcomes and a better understanding of how circadian rhythms affect cancer treatments.
More detailed findings and methodologies can be accessed in the study titled “Overall survival according to time-of-day of immunochemotherapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer,” published in Cancer with the DOI: 10.1002/cncr.70126. The implications of this research may resonate across oncology, paving the way for future studies aimed at optimizing cancer treatment strategies.
