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Can melatonin help us in radiation oncology treatments?

BioMed research international
January 1, 2014
Ehsan Mihandoost et al. (4 authors)
Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tReviewHuman StudyMolecular Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate melatonin's potential as a radioprotector and radiosensitizer in radiotherapy, focusing on its antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and antitumor properties.

Results Summary

Melatonin demonstrated antioxidant effects by scavenging free radicals and stimulating antioxidant enzymes, protected normal cells from radiation damage, and showed potential antitumor and radiosensitizing properties, suggesting improved therapeutic outcomes in radiotherapy.

Population

Not specified (general implications for radiotherapy patients)

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (8)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
Melatonin
decrease
free radicals
-
-
has been shown to be both a direct free radical scavenger and an indirect antioxidant
#1
Melatonin
increase
antioxidant enzymes activity
-
-
stimulating antioxidant enzymes and suppressing prooxidative enzymes activity
#2
Melatonin
decrease
prooxidative enzymes activity
-
-
suppressing prooxidative enzymes activity
#3
Melatonin
decrease
apoptosis in normal cells
normal cells
-
implicating antiapoptotic function
#4
Melatonin
decrease
tumor progression
-
-
through its antitumor and radiosensitizing properties, treatment with melatonin may prevent tumor progression
#5
addition of melatonin to radiation therapy
decrease
damage to normal tissue
normal tissue
-
could lower the damage inflicted to the normal tissue
#6
addition of melatonin to radiation therapy
increase
tumor control
-
-
leading to a more efficient tumor control by use of higher doses of irradiation during radiotherapy
#7
melatonin
increase
therapeutic gain
radiation oncology treatments
-
may improve the therapeutic gain in radiation oncology treatments
#8
Abstract

Nowadays, radiotherapy has become an integral part of the treatment regimen in various malignancies for curative or palliative purposes. Ionizing radiation interacts with biological systems to produce free radicals, which attack various cellular components. Radioprotectors act as prophylactic agents that are administered to shield normal cells and tissues from the harmful effects of radiation. Melatonin has been shown to be both a direct free radical scavenger and an indirect antioxidant by stimulating antioxidant enzymes and suppressing prooxidative enzymes activity. In addition to its antioxidant property, there have also been reports implicating antiapoptotic function for melatonin in normal cells. Furthermore, through its antitumor and radiosensitizing properties, treatment with melatonin may prevent tumor progression. Therefore, addition of melatonin to radiation therapy could lower the damage inflicted to the normal tissue, leading to a more efficient tumor control by use of higher doses of irradiation during radiotherapy. Thus, it seems that, in the future, melatonin may improve the therapeutic gain in radiation oncology treatments.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AnimalsAntioxidantsApoptosisFree Radical ScavengersHumansMelatoninRadiation OncologyRadiation-Protective Agents
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality75/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations22
Citations/Year2.0
Relative Citation Ratio0.77
NIH Percentile40.5%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.25
Weight Score0.79
Normalized Score0.69
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