Cited by 22Dietary Effects on HealthCircadian rhythm and melatoninNutritional Studies and Diet

Chronotype and Cancer: Emerging Relation Between Chrononutrition and Oncology from Human Studies

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Godos, Justyna, Currenti, Walter, Ferri, Raffaele, Lanza, Giuseppe, Caraci, Filippo, Frias-Toral, Evelyn, Guglielmetti, Monica, Ferraris, Cinzia +5 more·2025·Nutrients

Abstract

Fasting–feeding timing is a crucial pattern implicated in the regulation of daily circadian rhythms. The interplay between sleep and meal timing underscores the importance of maintaining circadian alignment in order to avoid creating a metabolic environment conducive to carcinogenesis following the molecular and systemic disruption of metabolic performance and immune function. The chronicity of such a condition may support the initiation and progression of cancer through a variety of mechanisms, including increased oxidative stress, immune suppression, and the activation of proliferative signaling pathways. This review aims to summarize current evidence from human studies and provide an overview of the potential mechanisms underscoring the role of chrononutrition (including time-restricted eating) on cancer risk. Current evidence shows that the morning chronotype, suggesting an alignment between physiological circadian rhythms and eating timing, is associated with a lower risk of cancer. Also, early time-restricted eating and prolonged nighttime fasting were also associated with a lower risk of cancer. The current evidence suggests that the chronotype influences cancer risk through cell cycle regulation, the modulation of metabolic pathways and inflammation, and gut microbiota fluctuations. In conclusion, although there are no clear guidelines on this matter, emerging evidence supports the hypothesis that the role of time-related eating (i.e., time/calorie-restricted feeding and intermittent/periodic fasting) could potentially lead to a reduced risk of cancer.

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  • Incorporating chrononutritional variables, meal timing, sleep patterns, and lifestyle behaviors provides a more accurate understanding of microbiota-mediated influences on nutritional health.

    “Incorporating chrononutritional variables, meal timing, sleep patterns, and lifestyle behaviors provides a more accurate understanding of microbiota-mediated influences on nutritional health [100-103].”

    From The Seven Methods for the Evaluation of Nutritional Status—ABCDEFG: Narrative Review (2026) · cites this paper as [102]

    Section 4.3 links chrononutrition and meal timing to gut microbiota composition, function, and metabolic health. The Introduction also discusses sleep schedules and eating behaviors. The paper does not establish that incorporating sleep patterns and lifestyle behaviors alongside meal timing provides a more accurate understanding of microbiota-mediated influences on nutritional health; its Conclusions call for further integrated research. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Authors
Godos, J., Currenti, W., Ferri, R., Lanza, G., Caraci, F., Frias-Toral, E., Guglielmetti, M., Ferraris, C., Lipari, V., Carvajal Altamiranda, S., Galvano, F., Castellano, S., & Grosso, G.
Affiliations
  • University of Catania (IT)
  • I.R.C.C.S. Oasi Maria SS (IT)
  • School of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Samborondón 0901952, Ecuador
  • University of Pavia (IT)
  • Research Group on Food, Nutritional Biochemistry and Health, Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Isabel Torres 21, 39011 Santander, Spain
Corresponding author
  • Galvano, Fabio
  • Grosso, Giuseppe
Venue
Nutrients
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2025-01-31
Volume
17
Issue
3
Pages
529
ISSN
2072-6643 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4407039520
Cited by
22
References
136
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 10
FWCI
2.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nutrients (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Dietary Effects on Health
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
Keywords
chronotype, chrononutrition, cancer risk, circadian rhythm, time-restricted eating, intermittent fasting, meal timing, oxidative stress, immunosuppression, gut microbiota, inflammation, cell cycle regulation, metabolic pathways
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Chronotype, Circadian Rhythm, Fasting, Feeding Behavior, Humans, Neoplasms, Risk Factors, Sleep, Time Factors, Caloric Restriction

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