What is melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain that helps regulate other hormones and the body’s circadian rhythms essential for health. Produced from the amino acid tryptophan in minute quantities by the pineal gland when the eyes detect no light, melatonin levels peak at night.

What are the potential health benefits of melatonin to cancer patients?

Many studies have evaluated the health benefits of melatonin, including the use of melatonin for improved quality of life and anti cancer activity. Melatonin has been used alone and combined with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy in a number of studies involving different types of cancer. Research results indicate the following improved quality of life and anticancer benefits from melatonin.

• Induces sleep
• Reduces fatigue
• Provides antioxidants
• Supports the immune system
• Improves quality of life and cancer survival^1-4
• Inhibits development of new cancer blood vessels through anti-angiogenesis⁵
• Reduces cancer related weight loss and cancer cachexia⁶

How is melatonin properly administered?

As a nutritional supplement, melatonin is taken 30 minutes to one hour before sleeping. Exposure to light at night, regardless of the duration or intensity of the light, can fully suppress or decrease melatonin levels.

What is the history of melatonin?

The existence of the pineal gland has been known for thousands of years, although its function remained a mystery until the late 20th century. In the 1600s, the French philosopher René Descartes called the pineal gland “the seat of the soul” since many people believed emotions originated there.

Researchers at Yale University first discovered melatonin and its connection to the pineal gland in the late 1950s. Melatonin became available as a dietary supplement in the 1990s.

For More Information

• Life Over Cancer by Keith Block, MD
• The Definitive Guide to Cancer, 3rd Edition: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing by Lise Alschuler, ND and Karolyn A. Gazella

References

1. Lissoni P, Chilelli M, Villa S, Cerizza L, Tancini G. Five years survival in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy and melatonin: A randomized trial. J Pineal Res. 2003;35:12-15.
2. Sainz RM, Mayo JC, Rodriguez C, Tan DX, Lopez-Burillo S, Reiter RJ. Melatonin and cell death: Differential actions on apoptosis in normal and cancer cells. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2003;60:1407-1426
3. Lissoni P, Barni S, Cattaneo G, et al. Clinical results with the pineal hormone melatonin in advanced cancer resistant to standard antitumor therapies. Oncology. 1991;48:448-450.
4. Cos S, Sanchez-Barcelo EJ. Melatonin, experimental basis for a possible application in breast cancer prevention and treatment. Histology & Histopathology. 2000;15:637-647.
5. Lissoni P, Rovelli F, Malugani F, Bucovec R, Conti A, Maestroni GJ. Anti-angiogenic activity of melatonin in advanced cancer patients. Neuroendocrinol Lett. 2001;22:45-47.
6. Mantovani G, Maccio A, Massa E, Madeddu C. Managing cancer-related anorexia/cachexia. Drugs. 2001;61:499-514.