Saturday Nov 30, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A review in Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs suggests that melatonin can be enlisted to help prevent breast cancer or help treat breast cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy and radiation.

Emilio J Sanchez-Barcelo  from University of Cantabria, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology in Santander, Spain and colleagues reviewed the possible oncostatic properties of melatonin on many types of cancers, particularly hormone-dependent adenocarcinomas and found "melatonin a suitable treatment to reduce oxidative stress associated with chemotherapy, especially with anthracyclines, and radiotherapy" intended to treat breast cancer.

In addition to the potential use of melatonin as a treatment of side effects associated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy indicated for the treatment of breast cancer, melatonin can also be used to prevent breast cancer, particularly when women may be affected by risk factors such as obesity, steroid hormone treatment or chronodisruption by exposure to light at night.

 The expert opinion from the authors is that "The clinical utility of melatonin depends on the appropriate identification of its actions. Because of its SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulators) and SEEM (selective estrogen enzyme modulators) properties, and its virtual absence of contraindications, melatonin could be an excellent adjuvant with the drugs currently used for breast cancer prevention (antiestrogens and antiaromatases)." (David Liu, PHD)