Melatonin has been shown in previous studies to prevent the growth and
multiplication on estrogen-responsive MCF-7 cells. A MCF-7 cell is a type of
breast cancer cell that is frequently studied in laboratories in order to
evaluate the benefits of different chemotherapeutic agents. The purpose of the
current trial was to investigate the effects of melatonin on the invasion
capacity of MCF-7 cells. When cancer cells grow, they have the capacity to
invade other tissues and spread.
In vitro, when melatonin at physiological doses was added to MCF-7 cells, it
reduced the invasiveness of these tumor cells. Physiological doses are
equivalent to the amount normally found in the body when melatonin is released
at night from the pineal gland. Melatonin reduced the invasiveness of MCF-7
cells by causing a decrease in cell attachment and cell motility, and probably
by interacting with the estrogen-mediated mechanisms of MCF-7 cell
invasiveness. These may, in part, account for melatonin's cancer-stopping
action in laboratory studies.
Comments: For the past decade, many researchers, particularly in Italy, have
been testing the role of melatonin in the therapy of various cancers. The
early research looks promising and some of the studies have shown this hormone
to slow the progression of certain cancers. Most of the time, the dosages used
for therapy have ranged in the 3 to 20 mg range. If you have breast cancer,
you may wish to discuss with your health care practitioner or oncologist
whether adding melatonin may be an additional therapeutic option.
Cos S, Fernandez R, Guezmes A, Sanchez-Barcelo EJ. Influence of melatonin on
invasive and metastatic properties of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.Cancer
Res
1998 Oct 1;58(19):4383-90
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