METODO DI BELLA > PRINCIPI ATTIVI > Melatonina > Melatonin and tryptophan circadian profiles in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

 
Melatonin and tryptophan circadian profiles in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. di Hu S, Shen G, Yin S, Xu W, Hu B.
 
 
Data: 06/05/2011
Tipologia: DOCUMENTAZIONE SCIENTIFICA
Lingua: Inglese
Anno: 2009
Fonte: Adv Ther. 2009 Sep;26(9):886-92.
 
 
Descrizione:

INTRODUCTION: Accumulating studies indicate that melatonin is a natural oncostatic agent capable of mediating the influence of the psychoneuroendocrine system on cancer growth. Although there is increasing evidence to show that the pineal gland may play a role in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), there is uncertainty about circadian profiles of melatonin, its precursor tryptophan, and its major metabolite, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-OH-MLT) in NSCLC patients before and after treatment with standard chemotherapy (cisplatin plus vinorelbine). The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration changes of melatonin, tryptophan, and 6-OH-MLT in NSCLC patients treated with standard chemotherapy.

METHODS: We examined the circadian melatonin, tryptophan, and 6-OH-MLT rhythms in 30 patients suffering from advanced-stage NSCLC and compared them with those of 63 healthy volunteers free from neoplastic disease. Blood samples were collected at 12 noon and 12 midnight. Urine samples were collected at 7 AM: and 4 PM: . The levels of melatonin in serum and of 6-OH-MLT in urine were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The concentration of amino acids including tryptophan in serum was measured by amino acid analyzer.

RESULTS: Melatonin, tryptophan, and 6-OH-MLT concentrations were significantly lower in cancer patients, in comparison with healthy subjects. A significant inverse correlation between melatonin and tryptophan was observed. Additionally, after three cycles of standard chemotherapy, there was a tendency of melatonin, tryptophan, and 6-OH-MLT concentrations to progressively decrease in NSCLC patients.

CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that the presence of NSCLC influences the metabolism of melatonin, and chemotherapy in NSCLC patients may progressively decrease the production of melatonin.

 
 
 

 

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