SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Güncel Tıbbi Araştırmaları Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 6 Sayı: 2

Antioxidant Role of Melatonin in The Progression and Treatment of Cancer

Melatoninin Kanser Gelişiminde ve Tedavisinde Antioksidan Rolü

Emre Kahveci(İZMİR KATİP ÇELEBİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ)0009-0002-5122-8526
Funda İfakat Tengiz(İZMİR KATİP ÇELEBİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0002-8491-9190
Mustafa Soyöz(İZMİR KATİP ÇELEBİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ)
Pages
58–69
Publication Date
2026-08-31
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The majority of the compiled data supports that melatonin has a downward effect on cancer development and may constitute a potential treatment.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Cancer; It is a multifactorial disease with high fatality.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Cancer, which we cannot find a definitive solution to even with our advanced technology in the 21st century, is one of the medical field's most extensively studied topic at current.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The majority of the compiled data supports that melatonin has a downward effect on cancer development and may constitute a potential treatment.
🔬Design:Derleme
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Melatonin · Kanser · Antioksidan

Abstract

Cancer; It is a multifactorial disease with high fatality. Cancer, which we cannot find a definitive solution to even with our advanced technology in the 21st century, is one of the medical field's most extensively studied topic at current. Melatonin, which stands out with its antioxidant properties, plays a role in many mechanisms and pathways that are still not fully understood. This led to focus on the effects of melatonin, a versatile compound, on cancer, one of the biggest health problems in today's world. Over the past half century, several studies have been carried out to clarify the connection between melatonin and cancer. The majority of the compiled data supports that melatonin has a downward effect on cancer development and may constitute a potential treatment.

Özet

Dünya çapında ölüm oranları yüksek multifaktoriyel bir hastalık olan kanser, üzerine en çok araştırma yapılan, günümüzde gelişmiş teknolojilere rağmen kesin çözümünü bulamadığımız insanlığı etkileyen hastalıklardan biridir. Antioksidan yönüyle öne çıkan melatonin, hala tam olarak anlaşılamamış birçok mekanizma ve yolakta görev almaktadır. Bu durum çok yönlü bir bileşik olan melatoninin, günümüz dünyasının en büyük sağlık sorunlarından biri olan kanser üzerindeki etkilerine yoğunlaşılmasını sağladı. Geçtiğimiz yarım asır boyunca Melatonin- Kanser ilişkisini aydınlatmaya yönelik birçok araştırma yapılmıştır. Derlenen verilerin büyük bir çoğunluğu, melatoninin kanser gelişimini aşağı yönlü etkilediği ve potansiyel bir tedavi yolu oluşturabileceğini desteklemektedir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Kahveci, E., Tengiz, F. İ., Soyöz, M. (2026). Antioxidant Role of Melatonin in The Progression and Treatment of Cancer. Güncel Tıbbi Araştırmaları Dergisi, Cilt: 6 Sayı: 2, 58–69. https://doi.org/10.52818/cjmr.1687939

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (47)

  1. World Health Organization. Cancer [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 Feb 3 [cited 2025 Dec 18]. Available from: https://www. who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer.
  2. Baykara O. Current modalities in treatment of cancer. Balikesir Health Sci J 2016; 5(3):154-65.
  3. National Cancer Institute. Types of cancer treatment [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute; [no date] [cited 2024 Jan 19]. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/ treatment/types.
  4. Karakoç MD. The status of oncology patients about using complementary and alternative treatment methods. Pam Med J 2020; 13(1):69- 80. Doi: 10.31362/patd.640488.
  5. Minich DM., Henning M., Darley C., Fahoum M., Schuler CB., Frame J. Is melatonin the “next vitamin D”?: A review of emerging science, clinical uses, safety, and dietary supplements. Nutrients 2022; 14(19):3934. Doi: 10.3390/nu14193934.
  6. Sadoughi F., Dana PM., Asemi Z., et al. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of melatonin in breast cancer. Biochimie 2022; 202:26-33. Doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.03.005.
  7. Talib WH. Melatonin and cancer hallmarks. Molecules 2018; 23(3):518. Doi: 10.3390/molecules23030518.
  8. Talib WH., Alsayed AR., Abuawad A., Daoud S., Mahmod AI. Melatonin in cancer treatment: Current knowledge and future opportunities. Molecules 2021; 26(9):2506. Doi: 10.3390/molecules26092506.
  9. Amaral FGD., Cipolla-Neto J. A brief review about melatonin, a pineal hormone. Arch Endocrinol Metab 2018; 62(4):472-9. Doi: 10.20945/2359- 3997000000066.
  10. Ozcelik F., Erdem M., Bolu A., Gulsun M. Melatonin: General features and its role in psychiatric disorders. Curr Approaches Psychiatry 2013; 5(2):179-203. Doi: 10.5455/cap.20130512.
  11. Vasey C., McBride J., Penta K. Circadian rhythm dysregulation and restoration: The role of melatonin. Nutrients 2021; 13(10):3480. Doi: 10.3390/nu13103480.
  12. Tordjman S., Chokron S., Delorme R., et al. Melatonin: Pharmacology, functions and therapeutic benefits. Curr Neuropharmacol 2017; 15(3):434- 43. Doi: 10.2174/1570159X146661612281221 15.
  13. Erozgen F. What is cancer? [Internet]. Istanbul: Haseki Training and Research Hospital; 2023 Apr 3 [cited 2024 Feb 22]. Available from: https:// hasekieah.saglik.gov.tr/TR-521773/kanser- nedir-profdrfazilet-erozgen.html.
  14. Tan DX., Manchester LC., Esteban-Zubero E., Zhou Z., Reiter RJ. Melatonin as a potent and inducible endogenous antioxidant: Synthesis and metabolism. Molecules 2015; 20(10):18886- 906. Doi: 10.3390/molecules201018886.
  15. Lowes DA., Webster NR., Murphy MP., Galley HF. Antioxidants that protect mitochondria reduce interleukin-6 and oxidative stress, improve mitochondrial function, and reduce biochemical markers of organ dysfunction in a rat model of acute sepsis. Br J Anaesth 2013; 110(3):472-80. Doi: 10.1093/bja/aes577.
  16. Soyoz M. The effect of ochratoxin A and melatonin on some serum and liver enzyme levels in rats [master’s thesis]. [Isparta (TR)]: Suleyman Demirel University Health Sciences Institute; 2002.
  17. Aslankoc R., Demirci D., Inan U., et al. The role of antioxidant enzymes in oxidative stress - superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Med J SDU 2019; 26(3):362-9. Doi: 10.17343/sdutfd.566969.
  18. Karaca O., Sunay FB., Kus MA., et al. The effect of honey and pollen on lipid peroxidation and some antioxidants against experimental liver damage with cadmium. Firat Med J 2014; 19(3):110-5.
  19. Marseglia L., Gitto E., Laschi E., et al. Antioxidant effect of melatonin in preterm newborns. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2021; 2021:6308255. Doi: 10.1155/2021/6308255.
  20. Peña-Corona SI., Chávez-Corona JI., Pérez-Caltzontzin LE., et al. Melatonin and vitamins as protectors against the reproductive toxicity of bisphenols: Which is the most effective? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24(19):14930. Doi: 10.3390/ ijms241914930.
  21. Franco C., Sciatti E., Favero G., Bonomini F., Vizzardi E., Rezzani R. Essential hypertension and oxidative stress: Novel future perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23(22):14489. Doi: 10.3390/ ijms232214489.
  22. Aisa-Álvarez A., Pérez-Torres I., Guarner-Lans V., et al. Randomized clinical trial of antioxidant therapy in patients with septic shock and organ dysfunction in the ICU: SOFA score reduction by improvement of the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant system. Cells 2023; 12(9):1330. Doi: 10.3390/cells12091330.
  23. Dehdari Ebrahimi N., Sadeghi A., Shojaei-Zarghani S., et al. Protective effects of exogenous melatonin therapy against oxidative stress to male reproductive tissue caused by anti-cancer chemical and radiation therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1184745. Doi: 10.3389/ fendo.2023.1184745.
  24. Jiménez-Delgado A., Ortiz GG., Delgado-Lara DL., et al. Effect of melatonin administration on mitochondrial activity and oxidative stress markers in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2021; 2021:5577541. Doi: 10.1155/2021/5577541.
  25. Chen M., He L., Song D., et al. Current cancer burden in China: Epidemiology, etiology, and prevention. Cancer Biol Med 2022; 19(8):1121-38. Doi: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0231.
  26. Atabilen B., Akbulut G. Different mechanisms and the role of nutrition in the formation of colorectal cancer. Turk Klin J Med Sci 2019; 39(1):89-107.
  27. Cabadak H. Cell cycle and cancer. ADU Med Fac J 2008; 9(3):51-61.
  28. Sökeland G., Schumacher U. The functional role of integrins during intra- and extravasation within the metastatic cascade. Mol Cancer 2019; 18(1):12. Doi: 10.1186/s12943-018-0937-3.
  29. Weston A., Harris CC. Multistage carcinogenesis. In: Holland JF., Frei E III., editors. Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine [Internet]. 6th ed. Hamilton (ON): BC Decker; 2003 [cited 2024 Mar]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/ NBK13982/
  30. Yokuş B., Çakır DÜ. Cancer biochemistry. Dicle Univ Vet Fac J 2012; 1:7-18.
  31. Caliri AW., Tommasi S., Besaratinia A. Relationships among smoking, oxidative stress, inflammation, macromolecular damage, and cancer. Mutat Res Rev Mutat Res 2021; 787:108365. Doi: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2021.108365.
  32. Kuo CL., Ponneri Babuharisankar A., Lin YC., et al. Mitochondrial oxidative stress in the tumor microenvironment and cancer immunoescape: Foe or friend? J Biomed Sci 2022; 29(1):74. Doi: 10.1186/s12929-022-00859-2.
  33. Dodson M., Castro-Portuguez R., Zhang DD. NRF2 plays a critical role in mitigating lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. Redox Biol 2019; 23:101107. Doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101107.
  34. Redza-Dutordoir M., Averill-Bates DA. Activation of apoptosis signalling pathways by reactive oxygen species. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res 2016; 1863(12):2977-92. Doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr. 2016.09.012.
  35. Jelic MD., Mandic AD., Maricic SM., Srdjenovic BU. Oxidative stress and its role in cancer. J Cancer Res Ther 2021; 17(1):22-8. Doi: 10.4103/jcrt. JCRT_862_16.
  36. Hayes JD., Dinkova-Kostova AT., Tew KD. Oxidative stress in cancer. Cancer Cell 2020; 38(2):167- 97. Doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.06.001.
  37. Sakatani A., Sonohara F., Goel A. Melatonin-mediated downregulation of thymidylate synthase as a novel mechanism for overcoming 5-fluorouracil- associated chemoresistance in colorectal cancer cells. Carcinogenesis 2019; 40(3):422-31. Doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgy186.
  38. Mafi A., Rezaee M., Hedayati N., et al. Melatonin and 5-fluorouracil combination chemotherapy: Opportunities and efficacy in cancer therapy. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21(1):33. Doi: 10.1186/ s12964-023-01047-x.
  39. Chok KC., Koh RY., Ng MG., Ng PY., Chye SM. Melatonin induces autophagy via reactive oxygen species-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway in colorectal cancer cells. Molecules 2021; 26(16):5038. Doi: 10.3390/molecules26165038.
  40. Li M., Wu C., Muhammad JS., et al. Melatonin sensitizes shikonin-induced cancer cell death mediated by oxidative stress via inhibition of the SIRT3/SOD2-AKT pathway. Redox Biol 2020; 36:101632. Doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101632.
  41. Gong YQ., Hou FT., Xiang CL., Li CL., Hu GH., Chen CW. The mechanisms and roles of melatonin in gastrointestinal cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1066698. Doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1066698.
  42. Wang SW., Tai HC., Tang CH., et al. Melatonin impedes prostate cancer metastasis by suppressing MMP-13 expression. J Cell Physiol 2021; 236(5):3979-90. Doi: 10.1002/jcp.30150.
  43. Zhou L., Zhang C., Yang X., et al. Melatonin inhibits lipid accumulation to repress prostate cancer progression by mediating the epigenetic modification of CES1. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11(6):e449. Doi: 10.1002/ctm2.449.
  44. Zharinov GM., Bogomolov OA., Chepurnaya IV., Neklasova NY., Anisimov VN. Melatonin increases overall survival of prostate cancer patients with poor prognosis after combined hormone radiation treatment. Oncotarget 2020; 11(41):3723- 9. Doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.27757.
  45. Oliveira JG., Marques JH., Lacerda JZ., Ferreira LC., Coelho MM., Zuccari DA. Melatonin down-regulates microRNA-10a and decreases invasion and migration of triple-negative breast cancer cells. Melatonin Res 2019; 2(1):88-98.
  46. Marques JHM., Mota AL., Oliveira JG., et al. Melatonin restrains angiogenic factors in triple-negative breast cancer by targeting miR-152-3p: In vivo and in vitro studies. Life Sci 2018; 208:131- 8. Doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.07.012.
  47. Gill JG., Piskounova E., Morrison SJ. Cancer, oxidative stress, and metastasis. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 2016; 81:163-75. Doi: 10.1101/ sqb.2016