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Melatonin: Avenues in cancer therapy and its nanotechnological advancements

Published on Sunday, 10 December 2023

Abstract

Cancer is one of the most prevailing causes of mortality worldwide. Standard therapies for cancer patients include surgical intervention, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Nevertheless, chemoresistance and toxicity are clinical implications of advanced disease. New treatments are obliged to overcome these challenges.

According to clinical investigations, melatonin (MLT) has the potential to prevent and cure cancer. It is nontoxic and has a plethora of anticancer properties including apoptosis, antiangiogenic, antiproliferative, and metastasis-inhibitory mechanisms. It enhances the therapeutic sensitivity of malignancies when coupled with conventional medications.

The investigations that demonstrate how MLT possesses antitumor characteristics are reviewed in this manuscript. We provided an overview of recent research on the etiology, factors associated, therapeutic property of MLT on various cancer types.

We discussed the clinical implications of MLT alone or in conjunction with chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation therapy.

Furthermore, we have addressed the mechanisms of its anticancer activities against several types of cancers along with research findings of various investigations done by researchers and advancements in the field of nanotechnology for efficient delivery of MLT. The recent clinical investigations of MLT in various cancer types are reported in this review.

NOTE 1: This publication cites (Ref. N.52): Di Bella G., Mascia F., Gualano L., Di Bella L. - Melatonin anticancer effect: review. Int J Mol Sci. 2013;14:2410–2430.

NOTE 2: This publication cites (Ref. N.235) Di Bella's Method in Di Bella G, Mascia F, Ricchi A, Colori B. - Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the first-line treatment with somatostatin combined with melatonin, retinoids, vitamin D3, and low doses of cyclophosphamide in 20 cases of breast cancer: a preliminary report. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2013;34(7): 660‐668.

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About this publication.

- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Melatonin tablets. From 30-40mg/day up to 200mg/day orally in patients with advanced stage of cancer disease and/or patients without respond to traditional treatments);

- Melatonin use in cancer patients have started in 1974, when melatonin prepared according to Prof. Di Bella’s formulation [...]. For 11 days was administered to the patient, admitted to the general medical ward at the Maggiore-Pizzardi Hospital in Bologna, very slowly (over approx. 8 hours) and intravenously administered 1000 mg of melatonin for 11 days. During the course of each day, the patient was intravenously administered 4 saline drips of 500 ml, each containing ten 25 mg bottles of freeze-dried melatonin, lasting 2 hours, totaling 1000 mg per day. No other drug of any kind was administered in order to ascertain the effect of the MLT without interference [...]. From Melatonin with adenosine solubilized in water and stabilized with glycine for oncological treatment - technical preparation, effectivity and clinical findings;

- About Melatonin - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;

- Publication: Melatonin anticancer effects: Review (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- Publication: Key aspects of melatonin physiology: 30 years of research (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- The Di Bella Method (A Variable Part - Omega 3 Essential/Unsaturated Fatty Acids. From 1.5 grams up to 3.0 grams per day orally);

- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - All-Trans Retinoic Acid, Analogues and/or Derivatives - Approximately 60mg per day orally: 40mg per day Beta-Carotene/β-Carotene, 10mg per day ATRA and 10mg per day Axerophthol palmitate);

- All-Trans-Retinoic Acid (ATRA - analogues and/or derivatives) - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;

- Solution of retinoids in vitamin E in the Di Bella Method biological multitherapy;

- The Di Bella Method (A Variable Part - Selenium methonine, 40 μg capsules, twice a day);

- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Somatostatin, Octreotide, Sandostatin LAR, analogues and/or derivatives);

- Somatostatin in oncology, the overlooked evidences - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;

- Publication, 2018 Jul: Over-Expression of GH/GHR in Breast Cancer and Oncosuppressor Role of Somatostatin as a Physiological Inhibitor (from Di Bella's Foundation);

- Publication, 2018 Sep: The over-expression of GH/GHR in tumour tissues with respect to healthy ones confirms its oncogenic role and the consequent oncosuppressor role of its physiological inhibitor, somatostatin: a review of the literature (from Di Bella's Foundation);