Sleep patterns and circadian rhythms play pivotal roles in human health, and their disruption has been associated with various adverse outcomes. This comprehensive narrative review focuses on the early-onset risk of colorectal cancer (EO-CRC). We analyzed findings from epidemiological studies, revealing that sleep deprivation and circadian disruption are associated with an increased EO-CRC risk, potentially mediated by disrupted hormonal regulation, oxidative stress, and immune function in young adults. Moreover, lifestyle factors, including evening smartphone use (via blue light-induced melatonin suppression), smoking, and alcohol consumption, exacerbate circadian disruption (e.g., reduced rhythm amplitude) to further modulate EO-CRC risk. This review highlights the evidence hypothesized for the recent increase in EO-CRC and sleep disorder cases and their importance. It also underscores the potential for targeted interventions to mitigate EO-CRC risk by considering sleep and circadian health as integral components of EO-CRC prevention strategies. It also underlines the possibility of targeted interventions to minimize EO-CRC risk by improving sleep and circadian alignment.
Khalid et al. (Sun,) studied this question.