Perspectives in Pineal Functions

Bella, L. Di; Rossi, M.; Scalera, Giuseppe

doi:10.1016/s0079-6123(08)62954-4

Cited by 30 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Evidence exists that melatonin administration exerts an oncostatic effect, slowing disease progression and improving the quality of life in many patients with different types of tumors [120][121][122][123][124]. More recently, the effects of melatonin given daily in combination with subcutaneous IL-2 in patients with gastric, colorectal, hepatocellular, non-small cell lung cancer, and various endocrine tumors were studied [125][126][127][128].…”

Section: Clinical Aspectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Melatonin Involvement in Immunity and Cancer

Fraschini¹,

Demartini²,

Esposti³

et al. 1998

Neurosignals

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The most studied endocrine product of the pineal gland, melatonin, has been reported to be involved in the feedback between neuroendocrine and immune functions and to exert oncostatic action, at least in certain experimental conditions. Melatonin seems to be an integral part of the immune system, by exerting direct and/or indirect stimulatory effects on both cellular and humoral immunity. Likewise, an antitumor activity of melatonin has been shown in several experimental models in vivo and in vitro. The means by which melatonin exerts its effects on immunity and neoplastic growth have not been elucidated. The different putative mechanisms of action of melatonin investigated so far are here briefly discussed.

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Section: Clinical Aspectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Melatonin Involvement in Immunity and Cancer

Fraschini¹,

Demartini²,

Esposti³

et al. 1998

Neurosignals

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“…From this point of view, the first significance of MLT therapy in advanced cancer patients is that of the classic endocrine replacement treatment of cancer progression-related pineal deficiency. The other biological mechanisms justifying MLT administration in medical oncology as a possible new natural anticancer agent consist in antiproliferative activity [8], immunostimulatory effect on anticancer immunity, namely IL-2 production [18], modulation of oncogene expression [6], anti-oxidant activity [20], thrombopoietic action [7], psychomimetic properties, namely anti-anxiety, antidepressant and anti-asthenic effects [1], and an anticachectic property attributable to the inhibition of TNF alpha secretion [22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, because of its anti-oxidant and hematopoietic activities [7,16,20], MLT could be effective in the modulation of cancer chemotherapy, as shown in Table 2. In more detail, MLT has been proven to prevent chemotherapy-induced lympohocyte damage [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is there a role for melatonin in supportive care?

Lissoni

2002

Support Care Cancer

145

132

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Melatonin (MLT) is the main hormone released from the pineal gland and has proved to have physiological antitumor activity. MLT has been shown to exert anticancer activity through several biological mechanisms: antiproliferative action, stimulation of anticancer immunity, modulation of oncogene expression, and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-angiogenic effects. Several experimental studies have shown that MLT may inhibit cancer cell growth, and preliminary clinical studies seem to confirm its anticancer property in humans. In addition, MLT may have other biological effects, which could be useful in the palliative therapy of cancer, namely anticachectic, anti-asthenic and thrombopoietic activities. On this basis, the present clinical investigation was performed in an attempt at better definition of the therapeutic properties of MLT in human neoplasms. In a first clinical study, we evaluated the effects of MLT in a group of 1,440 patients with untreatable advanced solid tumors, who received supportive care alone or supportive care plus MLT. In a second study, we evaluated the influence of MLT on the efficacy and toxicity of chemotherapy in a group of 200 metastatic patients with chemotherapy-resistant tumor histotype, who were randomized to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus MLT. In both studies, MLT was given orally at 20 mg/day during the dark period of the day. The frequency of cachexia, asthenia, thrombocytopenia and lymphocytopenia was significantly lower in patients treated with MLT than in those who received supportive care alone. Moreover, the percentage of patients with disease stabilization and the percentage 1-year survival were both significantly higher in patients concomitantly treated with MLT than in those treated with supportive care alone. The objective tumor response rate was significantly higher in patients treated with chemotherapy plus MLT than in those treated with chemotherapy alone. Moreover, MLT induced a significant decline in the frequency of chemotherapy-induced asthenia, thrombocytopenia, stomatitis, cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity. These clinical results demonstrate that the pineal hormone MLT may be successfully administered in medical oncology in the supportive care of untreatable advanced cancer patients and for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced toxicity.

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“…In addition, since it has been demonstrated that melatonin can inhibit the rapidly proliferating cell growth, while no evident effect exists on resting cells [4], it is possible to hypothesize that the Ki-67 negative rate seen in patients with high melatonin blood levels does not only depend on instrinsic tumor properties, but at least in part also on the inhibitory action on cell growth exerted by the pineal hormone, perhaps through a modulation of oncogene expression. This hypothesis is also supported by the in vitro observed stimulatory effect of melatonin on estrogen receptor expresson [2], which is related to oncogene status [8].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pineal Gland and Tumor Cell Kinetics: Serum Levels of Melatonin in Relation to Ki-67 Labeling Rate in Breast Cancer

et al. 1990

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Recent observations showed that host may regulate either endocrinologically or immunologically tumor growth and differentiation, perhaps by modulating oncogene expression. Within the endocrine system, the pineal hormone, melatonin, seems to play an important antineoplastic role. To investigate its secretion in relation to tumor growth, we have evaluated the daily serum levels of melatonin in a group of 25 untreated breast cancer patients with a locally limited disease. Tumor cell proliferation was established by measuring Ki-67 labeling rate. As controls, 46 healthy women were considered. Breast cancer patients showed significantly higher mean values of melatonin than controls. Moreover, patients with negative Ki-67 labeling rate had significantly higher levels of the pineal hormone than those with a positive Ki-67 rate. Since tumors with high growth fraction present a worse prognosis, this study would suggest that the relief of an increased melatonin secretion represents a favorable prognostic sign, because of its association with less proliferating breast cancers.

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Perspectives in Pineal Functions

Cited by 30 publications

References 7 publications

Melatonin Involvement in Immunity and Cancer

Melatonin Involvement in Immunity and Cancer

Is there a role for melatonin in supportive care?

Pineal Gland and Tumor Cell Kinetics: Serum Levels of Melatonin in Relation to Ki-67 Labeling Rate in Breast Cancer

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