褪黑激素與癌症的檢視

The role of melatonin in cancer

褪黑激素乃一由松果體產生的荷爾蒙，其對人體生理功能呈現多樣性，能抑制癌細胞的發生、進展、血管增生和轉移等，亦能加強化學治療和放射線治療消滅腫瘤細胞。在實驗室和臨床上的研究，褪黑激素無論是單獨使用或合併其它治療方法，都有抗癌作用；更且，晝夜節律被破壞，會減少褪黑激素的產生，容易發生癌症。日後仍需更多的研究，方可使褪黑激素成為標準治療藥物，來治療不同的癌症。

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland. The physiological roles of this hormone in the body are varied. It is known that melatonin is able to suppress the initiation, progression, angiogenesis, and metastasis of cancer as well as the sensitization of malignant cells to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The anticancer activity of melatonin has been reported in many experimental and clinical studies. The inhibitory effects of this hormone can be achieved as a single therapeutic agent or in combination with other therapies. The involvement of melatonin in activating various anticancer mechanisms makes this molecule an important physiological anticancer agent. More clinical studies are needed to consider melatonin as a standard therapeutic option to treat some cancers. In addition, disruption of circadian rhythms has profound impact on cell division and cancer development. Therefore, a better understanding of molecular links regulating the circadian rhythms and clock genes will have potential significance for the treatment of cancer and associated disorders.