Chronotherapeutic Drug Delivery

Living organisms follow a circadian rhythm in which physiological processes such as hormonal secretion, metabolism, heart rate, and renal output are affected by the time of day. Chronotherapy coordinates drug delivery with the circadian rhythm to enhance effectiveness and mitigate adverse effects and is achieved by delivering a drug when the system is most susceptible. Cancer is a chronotherapeutic disorder. Cancer treatment requires high doses of intravenous medication to kill cancerous cells; however, normal cells are also killed, creating intolerable side effects. This review shows that chronotherapy can play a vital role in the quality of life and survival rate for oncology patients.