Researchers have discovered that administering anticancer immunotherapy earlier in the day may significantly improve survival rates for individuals with cancer. A study published in the journal Cancer highlights the potential benefits of timing in immunotherapy treatment.
The internal clock, or circadian rhythm, plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes, including immune responses. This study suggests that the effectiveness of certain medications, including immunotherapy drugs, may vary based on the time they are administered.
More than 397 patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer participated in the research conducted at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University in China. These patients received either atezolizumab or durvalumab combined with chemotherapy between May 2019 and October 2023.
The findings revealed that patients who received their immunochemotherapy treatments before 15:00 experienced significant benefits. Specifically, those treated earlier in the day had longer progression-free survival, meaning they maintained a longer period without cancer progression, and improved overall survival compared to those who received treatment later.
After adjusting for various influencing factors, the research indicated that receiving treatment before 15:00 was associated with a remarkable 52% reduction in the risk of cancer progression and a 63% reduction in the risk of death.
Yongchang Zhang, MD, the study’s senior author, emphasized the practical implications of the findings. “Adjusting infusion timing is a straightforward and easily implementable intervention that can be adopted across diverse health care settings without additional cost,” he remarked.
Zhang further noted that this study holds immediate clinical applicability and has the potential to transform current treatment protocols for small cell lung cancer.
The implications of this research may lead to a reevaluation of treatment schedules for cancer patients, providing a simple yet effective strategy to enhance the outcomes of immunotherapy. As more healthcare providers consider this approach, it could pave the way for improved patient care and outcomes in oncology.
For more detailed information, see the study titled “Overall survival according to time-of-day of immunochemotherapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer” in the journal Cancer (2025). DOI: 10.1002/cncr.70126.
