Advances in the study of corticoid and melatonin in circadian rhythm disorders of oncology patients

Abstract

It has been increasingly common to be diagnosed with cancer in recent years. In addition to cancer itself, which torments the patient and impairs body functions, oncology patients may develop many complications, and sleep disorders are one of them. Sleep disorders that are found in tumor survivors including sleep related breathing disorders, sleep related movement disorders, parasomnias, central disorders of hypersomnolence, insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders (CRSWDs). It has been proved that tumors are the cause of sleep disorders, but the mechanism underlying them remains unknown. Therefore, the study of the mechanism of sleep disorders in oncology patients has become very popular among researchers today. A wide range of systemic tumors, including brain tumor, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, renal tumor and so on have a mutation of RAS or MYC, which may cause circadian rhythm disorders through some changes on Clock genes in the body. This review will focus on whether different tumors follow the same mechanism causing circadian rhythm disorders. Whether Melatonin and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are efficient in treating post-cancer sleep disorders in clinical trials will also be introduced.