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Timing radiotherapy to a patient's genetic body clock could slash side effects. Researchers at the University of Leicester found that a gene linked to circadian rhythms — PER3 — interacts with the time of day radiotherapy is delivered to influence long-term side effects like urinary incontinence and rectal bleeding in prostate cancer patients. A simple genetic test could one day help schedule treatments at the safest time for each individual.
Researchers at the University of Leicester have found that when prostate cancer patients receive radiotherapy matters just as much as how they receive it. Published in Clinical Cancer Research, the study shows that genetic variations in PER3 — a gene that helps regulate the body's circadian rhythm — interact with treatment timing to influence a patient's risk of long-term side effects like urinary incontinence and rectal bleeding.
The research, part of the REQUITE study (one of the world's largest radiotherapy side-effect cohorts), used advanced statistical modeling to combine genetic data, treatment timing records, and two years of follow-up data. The results mirror earlier findings in breast cancer, strengthening the case that the body's internal clock plays a real role in how healthy tissue responds to radiation.
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Why it matters: This approach wouldn't require new drugs or costly technology — just smarter scheduling guided by a simple genetic test. As prostate cancer survival rates improve, reducing treatment-related side effects becomes increasingly critical for quality of life. If validated in clinical trials, genetically guided chronoradiotherapy could offer a low-cost, high-impact upgrade to cancer care worldwide.
