Health
Hidden factor in cancer treatment timing may affect survival, researchers say
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The time of day patients receive cancer treatments could have an impact on the outcome, a new study suggests.
New research published in Cancer, the official journal of the American Cancer Society, found that patients who received standard immunochemotherapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) earlier in the day saw “significantly greater benefit” compared to those who got the same treatment later in the afternoon.
In the study, researchers from the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University, China, analyzed data from nearly 400 patients who were treated between May 2019 and October 2023.
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All patients had ES-SCLC and received first-line immunotherapy (atezolizumab or durvalumab) along with chemotherapy, according to a press release.
“Our study found that patients who received immunochemotherapy before 3:00 PM had substantially longer progression-free survival and overall survival,” lead study author Dr. Yongchang Zhang, medical oncologist and chief director at the Hunan Cancer Hospital in Changsha, China, told Fox News Digital.
The time of day patients receive cancer treatments could have an impact on the outcome, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, earlier administration was associated with a 52% lower risk of cancer progression and a 63% lower risk of death.”
“It was quite surprising that simply changing the infusion time could lead to such substantial survival benefits for patients,” he added.
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The findings align with the idea of chronotherapy, which suggests that the body’s natural daily rhythms affect how the immune system works and how drugs act in the body.
This means cancer treatments may be more effective at certain times of day, likely because immune activity and drug processing change over the 24-hour cycle, the study suggests.
“This study should not prompt patients to delay treatment or panic about appointment times.”
Based on the findings, Zhang recommends scheduling immunotherapy infusions in the early part of the day.
“Research across multiple cancer types has shown that patients receiving immunotherapy earlier in the day experience longer survival,” he noted. “Our findings in non-small cell lung cancer, supported by both multicenter retrospective studies and prospective clinical trials, confirm this pattern.”
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Gilberto Lopes, M.D., chief of medical oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, noted that previous, similar studies in non-small cell lung cancer have shown better outcomes when immunotherapy is administered earlier in the day, reinforcing the idea that the immune system follows circadian rhythms that influence treatment response.
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“In that sense, the results are biologically plausible and consistent with a growing body of evidence across cancers,” Lopes, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “What is striking is that this signal now appears in small cell lung cancer, a disease where outcomes have been notoriously difficult to improve.”
All patients had ES-SCLC and received first-line immunotherapy (atezolizumab or durvalumab) along with chemotherapy. (iStock)
The study did have some limitations, as detailed in the published study. Most notably, the study was retrospective and observational, meaning it could not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between timing of treatments and outcomes.
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With this type of study, Lopes said, “investigators start with an idea and go back and review patient records.” In this case, other factors can have an impact on the outcome, according to the oncologist.
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“For instance, did patients who come early in the day have a better quality of life, performance status and socioeconomic status and that is what made the difference?” he asked. “Or something else we don’t know? These results need to be confirmed prospectively to eliminate known and unknown sources of bias.”
“The next step is prospective testing, but until then, this research invites us to rethink something medicine usually ignores: timing itself,” an oncologist said. (iStock)
Zhang also pointed out that this was a single-center study including only Chinese patients. “To obtain more definitive evidence, prospective clinical trials conducted across multiple countries and diverse populations are needed,” he told Fox News Digital.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to conduct randomized trials to confirm these preliminary findings and pinpoint optimal treatment windows based on individual patients’ chronotypes (internal body clocks).
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“This study should not prompt patients to delay treatment or panic about appointment times,” Lopes cautioned. “But it raises an important, low-cost question for oncology systems: If scheduling flexibility exists, should earlier infusion times be preferred?”
“The next step is prospective testing, but until then, this research invites us to rethink something medicine usually ignores: timing itself.”
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Taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss may improve male fertility, according to experts.
Research presented this week at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, explored how obesity is strongly linked to fertility problems in men.
Excess weight can contribute to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis — the hormone system that regulates testosterone production — and functional hypogonadism, a condition in which testosterone levels are abnormally low because of disrupted hormone signaling. These changes can also impair semen quality.
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The researchers evaluated how GLP-1 weight-loss drugs impact reproductive hormones and metabolic outcomes, analyzing data of men between the ages of 18 and 65 who were taking one of the medications, according to a press release.
The systematic review of five randomized controlled trials focused on measuring testosterone, brain hormones involved in testosterone and sperm production, and a protein that carries sex hormones in the blood. Semen quality, weight and BMI, cholesterol and blood sugar were also measured.
Men with obesity and low testosterone linked to obesity may experience improved testosterone, sperm quality and metabolic heath while taking a GLP-1, the study found. (iStock)
The results suggested that GLP-1 medications do not suppress male hormones. Men with obesity and low testosterone linked to obesity may experience improved testosterone, sperm quality and metabolic health, especially during weight loss.
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In one four-week study, dulaglutide showed no significant changes in reproductive hormones or sexual function.
In a separate 16-week trial, liraglutide improved hormones in obese men with functional hypogonadism, meaning low testosterone was likely related to obesity. The review found that liraglutide was better for health outcomes than hormone replacement therapy.
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Another liraglutide study reported improved sperm concentration and count.
The study authors concluded that GLP-1s “do not appear to acutely suppress the male HPG axis and may improve reproductive hormones and semen parameters in obese hypogonadal men, largely within the context of weight loss.” (iStock)
A 24-week trial of semaglutide, known commercially as Ozempic and Wegovy, saw improvement in sperm shape and bad cholesterol, while preserving total testosterone.
As only five trials were included, the small evidence base suggests more research is necessary to prove further association.
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In an abstract of the research, the authors summed up that GLP-1s “do not appear to acutely suppress the male HPG axis and may improve reproductive hormones and semen parameters in obese hypogonadal men, largely within the context of weight loss.”
“However, evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, underscoring the need for larger RCTs explicitly powered to assess male reproductive outcomes,” they wrote.
“This provides early evidence that GLP-1 medications taken by obese men with hypogonadism/low testosterone (low T) improves testosterone levels,” one doctor said. (iStock)
Dr. Anthony Puopolo, men’s health expert and lead medical provider for RexMD, reflected on these findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“This provides early evidence that GLP-1 medications taken by obese men with hypogonadism/low testosterone (low T) improves testosterone levels,” he said.
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While more research is necessary, Pupolo, who was not involved in the study, shared his optimism about how GLP-1s can play a role in improving male fertility.
“If this finding continues to gain evidence, GLP-1s might be a better option for low T than testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in obese men – as GLP-1 medications preserve fertility, whereas TRT tends to be harmful to male reproductive/sperm function,” he added.
Health
Measles-infected traveler may have exposed passengers at LAX and nearby hotel, health officials warn
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A traveler infected with measles may have exposed passengers at Los Angeles International Airport and guests at a nearby hotel after arriving in Los Angeles County earlier this month, health officials said Wednesday.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said it is investigating a confirmed measles case involving a traveler who arrived aboard Cathay Pacific Flight CX 884 on June 11. The traveler was infectious while passing through Los Angeles County, potentially exposing others at LAX and the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel.
The case marks the sixth measles infection reported in Los Angeles County this year. Health officials said the risk of exposure could increase as summer travel ramps up and Los Angeles welcomes international visitors for FIFA World Cup events being held in the region.
MEASLES CASES CONFIRMED AT FOUR MAJOR US AIRPORTS ACROSS COUNTRY AMID PEAK HOLIDAY TRAVEL
A 3D illustration shows measles virus particles. (iStock)
According to health officials, anyone who was at the Tom Bradley International Terminal between 10 a.m. and noon on June 11 may have been exposed. Officials also identified a potential exposure at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel, located at 5711 W. Century Blvd., between 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. that same day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with local health departments to notify passengers who were seated near the infected traveler on the international flight.
People who were at either location during the listed times could develop symptoms between seven and 21 days after exposure, officials said. The last day to monitor for symptoms is July 2.
AT LEAST 46 CHILDREN DEAD AMID MEASLES OUTBREAK AS VIRUS SPREADS GLOBALLY
Los Angeles International Airport is seen in Los Angeles, California. Health officials said a traveler infected with measles may have exposed passengers at LAX on June 11. (Michael Yanow/NurPhoto)
“As measles cases increase, it is important that residents take steps to make sure they are fully protected,” Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said. “The MMR vaccine is the safest and most reliable way to prevent measles and protect yourself, your family, and your community.”
Travelers exit a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Monday, March 23, 2026. (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)
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Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, followed by a rash that typically begins on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for additional comment but did not receive a response.
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