Study reveals circadian clock can be leveraged to enhance cancer immunotherapy
A multidisciplinary team at the University of California, Irvine found that leveraging the circadian clock can enhance the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapy. Published in Nature Immunology, the study revealed that optimizing the timing of immunotherapy based on individual circadian patterns improves treatment outcomes. Disruption of circadian rhythms, common in modern society, contributes to cancer progression by increasing inflammation and immunosuppressive myeloid cells. By administering immunotherapy when these cells are most abundant, the therapy’s effectiveness is significantly enhanced. This research underscores the potential for personalized treatment strategies based on the body’s natural rhythms.