Melatonin - a Full Service Anti-Cance... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Melatonin - a Full Service Anti-Cancer Agent: Inhibition of Initiation, Progression and Metastasis.

pjoshea13 profile image
15 Replies

Here is another paper from 2017 [1]:

"There is highly credible evidence that melatonin mitigates cancer at the initiation, progression and metastasis phases. In many cases, the molecular mechanisms underpinning these inhibitory actions have been proposed. What is rather perplexing, however, is the large number of processes by which melatonin reportedly restrains cancer development and growth. These diverse actions suggest that what is being observed are merely epiphenomena of an underlying more fundamental action of melatonin that remains to be disclosed. Some of the arresting actions of melatonin on cancer are clearly membrane receptor-mediated while others are membrane receptor-independent and involve direct intracellular actions of this ubiquitously-distributed molecule. While the emphasis of melatonin/cancer research has been on the role of the indoleamine in restraining breast cancer, this is changing quickly with many cancer types having been shown to be susceptible to inhibition by melatonin. There are several facets of this research which could have immediate applications at the clinical level. Many studies have shown that melatonin’s co-administration improves the sensitivity of cancers to inhibition by conventional drugs. Even more important are the findings that melatonin renders cancers previously totally resistant to treatment sensitive to these same therapies. Melatonin also inhibits molecular processes associated with metastasis by limiting the entrance of cancer cells into the vascular system and preventing them from establishing secondary growths at distant sites. This is of particular importance since cancer metastasis often significantly contributes to death of the patient. Another area that deserves additional consideration is related to the capacity of melatonin in reducing the toxic consequences of anti-cancer drugs while increasing their efficacy. Although this information has been available for more than a decade, it has not been adequately exploited at the clinical level. Even if the only beneficial actions of melatonin in cancer patients are its ability to attenuate acute and long-term drug toxicity, melatonin should be used to improve the physical wellbeing of the patients. The experimental findings, however, suggest that the advantages of using melatonin as a co-treatment with conventional cancer therapies would far exceed improvements in the wellbeing of the patients."

-Patrick

[1] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

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Advo__cate profile image
Advo__cate

My husband’s M.D. suggested that he take 20 mg at night offering some information of what you have quoted in your post.

M.O. and naturopath ok with him taking it.

Thanks for posting.

Lakefisher profile image
Lakefisher

I tried using melatonin but it seemed to cause severe arthritis like pain in my hands. I read that rheumatoid arthritis and melatonin don't play well together, so I stopped the melatonin and the problem went away.

However, I was recently tested for rheumatoid arthritis and the test came back negative. So I'm confused. I bought the melatonin OTC in a drug store so maybe it wasn't the best. Could someone recommend a quality brand to try again? I'd like to do this because the Prednisone I'm taking with the chemo keeps me awake.

Thanks.

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply to Lakefisher

See: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/285...

Was the pain worse in the morning? Perhaps you were clenching your fists during those vivid dreams? LOL

-Patrick

sedgley profile image
sedgley in reply to pjoshea13

Clenching fists! I thought maybe punching the wall during deep dreaming would have been a more appropriate culprit!! :)

LOL

Lakefisher profile image
Lakefisher

Thanks Patrick. I'll try and get the article and look around for the "good dreams" melatonin so I won't clench my fists.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply to Lakefisher

Alas, In the good old days we used to clench something else for "good dreams".....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 11/04/2018 11:28 AM EST

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13

I haven't come across such in the PCa literature. -Patrick

Who knew? I've been taking 3 mg melatonin before bedtime. Recently changed to 5 mg. Looks like I should hit it harder. Thanks for that info.

leswell profile image
leswell

Thank you, Patrick. I, for one, will head back to LEF to resubscribe to melatonin. Such a simple, inexpensive supplement. Listening happily after a long day to an old CD of Emerson playing Ives 1st string quartet now on an also aging iPad. Love, Jan and Les

P.S. Plan to look for any attachment possibility with Jevtana which may be around our corner. Thanks Nalakrats.

leswell profile image
leswell in reply to leswell

FYI: LEF via Amazon.

Ldb01 profile image
Ldb01

My husband drinks 10mg of melantonin at night. It does help him sleep. He was an airline pilot for 40 years and sleep patterns were a huge problem. They say sleeping well heals.

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply to Ldb01

Alas, pilots have two risk sources. One is cosmic radiation, & the other is disruption of melaton production.

This 2017 study (pilots flying North Atlantic routes) mentions the former only, but found:

"The risk for ... prostate cancer ... increased with an increase in number of employment years, cumulative air hours, total cumulative radiation dose, and cumulative radiation dose sustained up to age of 40 years."

"The relative risk for the highest exposure categories of cumulative radiation dose were ... 2.57 ... for prostate cancer"

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/288...

In contrast, a large 2003 Nordic study reported:

"This large study, based on reliable cancer incidence data, showed an increased incidence of skin cancer. It did not indicate a marked increase in cancer risk attributable to cosmic radiation although some influence of cosmic radiation on skin cancer cannot be entirely excluded."

but did find that:

"There was an increase in the relative risk of prostate cancer with increasing number of flight hours in long-distance aircraft"

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/128...

In a 2202 paper, the same authors do mention melatonin in the full text paper:

"it has been suggested that disruptions in sleep-wake cycles associated with flying across time zones may increase the risk of cancer by suppressing secretion of melatonin or by some other hormone related mechanism."

"Jet lag

"The causes of prostate cancer are poorly understood. Melatonin may have a protective effect, and disruptions to sleep-wake cycles may increase cancer risk by suppressing melatonin secretion. According to one hypothesis, melatonin would increase the risk of hormone related cancers, whereas other people believe that it would have a systemic antioxidant-like effect. According to this theory, flight personnel flying over many time zones might have an excess risk. The main hormone related cancer among men is prostate cancer. Among pilots in our study, the relative risk of prostate cancer increased with the number of long haul hours. We cannot fully exclude the possibility that jet lag would increase the risk of hormone related cancers."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

A 1996 study of Air Canada pilots also found increased PCa risk (almost twice the risk), but once again the smoking gun was assumed to be radiation:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/854...

Since that, there have been numerous studies involving shift workers. e.g. breast cancer in nurses who work nights.

In 2017, from Germany:

"We identified increased risks for prostate cancer among men with employment in shift or night work. HR were strongly elevated among long-term employed shift workers and men with early preferred midpoint of sleep."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/288...

Also from 2017 (U.S.):

"Current evidence supports associations between non-standard shift work and increased hypogonadal symptoms, poor semen parameters, decreased fertility, lower urinary tract symptoms, and prostate cancer. These associations are strengthened by the presence of SWSD {shift work sleep disorder}, which affects up to 20% of shift workers."

"Non-pharmacologic treatment of SWSD focuses on behavioral therapy and sleep hygiene while melatonin, hypnotics, and stimulants are used to alleviate insomnia and excessive sleepiness of SWSD."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/293...

-Patrick

Ldb01 profile image
Ldb01

Wow thank you for the info. I will pass it on. Funny thing is when he did his final airline medical before retiring, his PSA had risen. Airlne doctor did not puck it up. A year later when we asked for the results, we realised that there was already a trend. This doctor called to apologise for not warning him there was a problem.

leswell profile image
leswell

On second thought, what about this from Healthline? Do you trust that site?

"Symptoms of melatonin overdose

Too much melatonin can have the opposite effect of its intended purpose.

It can make it harder to sleep because your normal circadian rhythms will be disrupted. An overdose can leave you feeling groggy and sleepy during the day and give you nightmares or extremely vivid dreams at night. You may also experience:

nausea

dizziness

headaches

irritability or anxiety

diarrhea

joint pain

For some people, too much melatonin can affect their blood pressure. Blood pressure-lowering medications, such as calcium channel blockers and beta-blockers, may reduce your body’s natural production of melatonin.

However, taking a supplement to make up for lower production may not always be advisable. Be sure to talk with your doctor about melatonin and any other supplements you take if you’ve been prescribed medications to help control your blood pressure.

What not to take with melatonin

Because melatonin can affect your sleep-wake cycle, avoid taking it with alcohol or caffeine. These can interfere with your circadian rhythms and your natural melatonin production."

Patrick and Nalakrats, Leswell and I will follow this discussion (too bad we can't all overhear you at lunch!) In the time being, we will continue our red wine melatonin at night (the effects of which we are used to monitoring) and take a melatonin tablet from LEF earlier in the day. As for megadoses, we are listening. Leswell and spouse who both hold you close in heart and thought.

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply to leswell

Sounds like a dangerous drug (LOL), but I have never experienced any of that.

-Patrick

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