Abstract
The circadian clock is a molecular evolutionary mechanism that controls the time of physiology to maintain homeostasis. Circadian disorder in particular has been identified as an independent risk factor for cancer and has been classified as a carcinogen. The circadian rhythm regulates several biological pathways, including oncogenic tumors, metabolism, and cell reproduction. The new data examined in this article suggest that circadian regulatory functions play a key role in various aspects of cancer, including cell proliferation control, cell death, DNA repair, and metabolism. Circadian irregularities are incorrect input signals, such as exposure to night light, variability in circadian rhythm genes, and output changes that regulate circadian behavior, including melatonin. Night work, shift work, workday changes, urinary melatonin levels, and insomnia put older men at risk for prostate cancer. Melatonin has anti-cancer properties. Men with lower melatonin levels in the morning had a higher risk of advanced or fatal prostate cancer. Melatonin, a hormone found in the pineal gland, plays an important role in the functioning of the circadian function. The integration of circadian biology into cancer research opens up new avenues for more effective cancer treatment, including the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of this destructive disease. This review examines the role of the circadian clock in tumor formation and cancer symptoms, and examines whether pharmacological changes in circadian clock genes may lead to new treatment options.
Highlights
Circadian rhythms (CR) are at the forefront of our lives, most obviously via the sleep–wake cycle [1,2]
Circadian rhythm disruption may influence the levels of androgens and thereby increase the risk for prostate cancer. Another line of evidence for the links between the circadian clock and cancer is based on findings which demonstrate that the long-term circadian misalignment, similar to that which occurs in circadian rhythm sleep disorders, reduces leptin levels throughout the day and night and thereby predisposes to weight gain [82], known to be a risk factor for both breast and prostate cancers
At least one polymorphism in nine clock circadian genes was significantly associated with prostate cancer risk
Summary
This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. (1) Dr Paola Angelini, University of Perugia, Italy. (1) Zemene Demelash Kifle, University of Gondar, Ethiopia. (2) Manuel Alejandro Melendez Jimenez, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Venezuela (1) Zemene Demelash Kifle, University of Gondar, Ethiopia. (2) Manuel Alejandro Melendez Jimenez, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Venezuela
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