Molecular medicine reportsSep 11, 2026

How the Body’s Daily Clock Affects Squamous Cell Skin Cancer from Molecules to Treatment

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Sep 12, 2026

Abstract

Circadian regulation may influence pathways relevant to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) biology and treatment response.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) includes diverse malignancies with unique molecular and clinical characteristics.
Circadian rhythms are linked to essential physiological processes like cell growth, metabolism, and immune function.
Current evidence suggests that core clock genes interact with pathways related to cancer and immune response in SCC.
Chronotherapy could be a potential component of personalized treatment for SCC based on circadian biology.
Limitations include a focus on preclinical studies and a lack of specific clinical evidence for SCC.

Simplified

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) comprises a heterogeneous group of malignancies with distinct molecular characteristics, clinical behavior and therapeutic responses, highlighting the need for personalized treatment strategies. Circadian rhythms regulate fundamental physiological processes, including cell proliferation, metabolism, DNA repair and immune function, and emerging evidence suggests that circadian regulation may influence pathways relevant to SCC biology and treatment response. This review summarizes current knowledge on the role of circadian regulation in SCC, with particular emphasis on lung SCC, focusing on core clock genes, their interactions with oncogenic and immune‑related pathways, and their therapeutic implications. We discuss current evidence supporting chronotherapy as a potential component of personalized SCC treatment while addressing important limitations, including the predominance of preclinical studies, limited SCC‑specific clinical evidence and extrapolation from other tumor types. Finally, we outline key research priorities for translating circadian biology into clinical SCC management.

How the Body’s Daily Clock Affects Squamous Cell Skin Cancer from Molecules to Treatment

Abstract

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