Chronomedical aspects of oncology and geriatrics

Extensive laboratory evidence on the merits of cancer chronotherapy is validated by the doubling of 2-year disease-free survival rate obtained by the chronoradiotherapy of patients with very advanced perioral cancers and by the quadrupling of the 5-year survival achieved by the chronochemotherapy of patients with advanced ovarian and bladder cancer. Miniaturized monitors for marker rhythmometry of tumor and core temperature recorded over long spans should facilitate the optimization of treatment by timing, while also serving the purpose of earliest intervention. The likelihood of a cure should be increased by focusing upon the now extensively documented tumor marker rhythms that may show time structure (chronome) alterations before exceeding the physiological range (that is otherwise neglected as one of random variation), and before overt symptoms appear.