This consideration would reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy. Researchers from Inserm and eight European teams tested two molecules: irinotecan, a drug used to treat colorectal cancer, and seliclib, an anti-cancer molecule in development.
The side effects of these drugs are usually severe diarrhea in 30% of patients, low white blood cells in almost half of cases, and severe fatigue.
The researchers studied the level of toxicity of these drugs in mice, subjected to a rhythm of awakening and very regular sleep.
They found that the toxicity of these molecules varies from one to three times depending on the time of day they are administered. The researchers also distinguished three types of patients, based on gender and their biological clock.
This method of administering anti-cancer drugs according to gender and biological clock is already used in about fifteen cancer departments in France and in Europe.
Source: www.inserm.fr
