Does Melatonin Increase Cancer Survival Rates?

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A natural therapy could help improve cancer patients' survival rates, according to a new study. Use of the hormone melatonin is linked to a substantial improvement in survival after one year.

Canadian researchers compiled the study by pulling information from studies conducted by researchers in Poland and Italy.

Melatonin is a hormone involved in the body's regulation of sleep/wake cycles. Synthetic forms of the hormone are used to treat insomnia and jet lag. Researchers found there is a positive interaction between melatonin and cancer survival rates. The reasons behind this interaction are not understood.

For this study, researchers used 10 studies that involved cancer treatments and melatonin use. The studies were published between 1992 and 2003 and involved 643 patients. They found there was a consistent improvement in the survival rate when melatonin was used as an adjunct therapy in a variety of advanced stage cancers.

Because all the data used for this analysis came from the same network of researchers, the lack of independent verification means the results should be regarded with some degree of uncertainty.

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SOURCE: The 20th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians in Phoenix, AZ, Aug. 24-26, 2005.