Melatonin in Cancer Therapy: A Promising Adjuvant Treatment

Melatonin and Its Biological Functions

Melatonin is best known as the sleep hormone which is a natural hormone produced by the body through the pineal gland of the human brain. It is significant in moderating sleep- wake cycle as well as circadian rhythms. Nevertheless, recent studies have already revealed all its wider therapeutic possibilities associated with the treatment of cancer. Melatonin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, immunomodulatory effects, and in addition to promoting sleep, has significant potential as an adjuvant therapeutic agent in cancer. According to the research findings, melatonin has the potential to prevent tumor growth, make conventional therapies work better and diminish the side effects, making it a worthwhile complement in oncology programs.

Melatonin’s Anticancer Mechanisms

Melatonin has a number of anticancer pathways. A major one is the effect it has on oxidative stress; melatonin antioxidizes and therefore decreases oxidative stress causing damage to DNA through oxidative processes and resulting in cancerous mutations. Moreover, melatonin mediates apoptosis (programmed cell death) of the cancer cell and also prevented the toxicity of chemotherapy to the healthy cells. It also inhibits tumor angiogenesis (where blood vessels are made to feed tumors) stunting the spread of cancer. More so, melatonin strengthens the immune system also by activating the natural killer (NK) cells and other immune barriers, which helps the body to fight cancer.

Melatonin in Combination with Conventional Cancer Treatments

The synergy between melatonin and the other conventional cancer treatment modalities such as chemotherapy and radiation is one of the most interesting points about melatonin. Studies have found that melatonin has the power to make cancer cells receptive to such treatments and at the same time protecting unimpaired cells against the adverse effects of these treatments. Examples include the outcome of the studies on breast, lung, and prostate cancer, which as it was determined, provided less side effects and a higher rate of tumor response in the medical patients who received melatonin treatment together with chemotherapy. Melatonin has this twin effect of enhancing and maximizing treatment effect as well as reducing toxicity hence making it a very desirable adjunct therapy in oncology.

Clinical Evidence

Several clinical trials have raised melatin as a of potential in the management of cancer. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials showed that melatonin administration enhanced survival, decreased complications caused by chemotherapy and increased the quality of life of the cancer patients in general. As one example, an advanced lung cancer study conducted among patients with the disease showed that the one-year survival rates among patients taking melatonin were much higher than those that of the control patients. In other studies, it was also indicated that melatonin could be useful in preventing recurrence and progression of cancer starting at the hormonal level pathways associated with tumor growth, especially in the case of hormone dependent cancer such as breast and prostate cancer. Though additional, large scale studies are required, the evidence on this issue is quite strong and speaks of the positive uses of melatonin as therapeutics.

Future Directions

Although melatonin looks very promising, there is still not widespread inclusion of melatonin in cancer treatment regimens. There is one issue; namely that of optimal dosing with studies showing different amounts being used (usually between 10-40 mg a day). Also, melatonin has the ability to interfere with some drugs and thus patients are advised to check with their oncologists before supplementation. The upcoming studies need to be engaged in determining the type of cancer that will show an apt reaction to melatonin and the use of standardising during clinical practices. Due to the increasing interest in integrative oncology, melatonin may be used as an adjuvant treatment, as it is safe and cost-effective, but may augment conventional cancer therapies and lead to better patient outcome.

The role of melatonin in the treatment of cancer goes much beyond its sleep-regulating ability because it has an important potential to be used as an anticancer agent. Due to its ability to suppress tumor growth, support the efficiency of chemotherapy, and increase the applicability of radiation, melatonin has several advantages that have a potential to transform cancer treatment. Although additional studies should be conducted to perfect its usage, existing evidence confirms its inclusion in the overall plans of treating cancer. Melatonin is a promising natural ally against cancer among both the patients and healthcare providers.