| Circulating melatonin and the risk of breast and endometrial cancer in women. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 19070424 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Several decades of observational data have accumulated to implicate a potential role for melatonin in cancer prevention. Experimental studies suggest that the antineoplastic action of melatonin arises through many different mechanisms, including melatonin's antioxidant, antimitotic, and antiangiogenic activity, as well as its ability to modulate the immune system and alter fat metabolism. Melatonin interacts with membrane and nuclear receptors, and may be linked to the regulation of tumor growth. Of particular relevance to breast cancer risk, melatonin may also block the estrogen receptor ERalpha and impact the enzyme aromatase, which produces estradiol. A growing number of epidemiologic studies have evaluated the relationship between night shift work as well as how varying duration of sleep affects peak melatonin secretion at night. While the studies demonstrate lower nightly melatonin levels in night workers, the evidence for an association between sleep duration and melatonin production is less clear. Similarly, both case-control and prospective cohort studies have consistently linked night shift work with breast cancer risk and, more recently, endometrial cancer - another tumor highly sensitive to estrogens. While, to date, the evidence for an association between sleep duration and breast cancer risk is less convincing, overall, there is increasing support for a potentially important link between melatonin and breast cancer risk and perhaps the risk of other tumors. As evidence increases, modifiable factors that have been shown to affect melatonin production, such as night shift work, are likely to gain increasing recognition as potential public health hazards. Additional studies are needed to delineate further the potential of melatonin in cancer prevention. |
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Authors:
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Akila N Viswanathan; Eva S Schernhammer |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Review Date: 2008-12-12 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Cancer letters Volume: 281 ISSN: 1872-7980 ISO Abbreviation: Cancer Lett. Publication Date: 2009 Aug |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2009-06-08 Completed Date: 2009-06-22 Revised Date: 2011-09-26 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 7600053 Medline TA: Cancer Lett Country: Ireland |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 1-7 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. aviswanathan@lroc.harvard.edu |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Aromatase
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physiology Breast Neoplasms / blood, epidemiology*, etiology Carcinoma / blood, epidemiology*, etiology Case-Control Studies Cell Transformation, Neoplastic Circadian Rhythm / physiology Endometrial Neoplasms / blood, epidemiology*, etiology Estradiol / physiology Estrogen Receptor alpha / physiology Female Humans Lipid Metabolism Melatonin / blood*, physiology, urine Obesity / epidemiology Prospective Studies Retrospective Studies Risk Serotonin / physiology Sleep / physiology Work Schedule Tolerance |
| Grant Support | |
ID/Acronym/Agency:
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5K07 CA117979-01/CA/NCI NIH HHS; CA114534/CA/NCI NIH HHS; K07 CA117979-01/CA/NCI NIH HHS; K07 CA117979-02/CA/NCI NIH HHS; K07 CA117979-03/CA/NCI NIH HHS; K07 CA117979-04/CA/NCI NIH HHS |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Estrogen Receptor alpha; 50-28-2/Estradiol; 50-67-9/Serotonin; 73-31-4/Melatonin; EC 1.14.14.1/Aromatase |
| Comments/Corrections | |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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