Melatonin in cancer treatment

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Health-related quality of life is crucial for cancer patients.
• Melatonin is explored for managing treatment side effects and circadian rhythm regulation.
• A systematic review is needed to assess melatonin's impact on cancer patients' quality of life and sleep.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the benefits and harms of melatonin in preserving health-related quality of life and sleep in cancer patients.
• To synthesize current evidence on melatonin's efficacy and safety in oncology care.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• Searched multiple databases and trial registers up to September 2024.
• Included RCTs of adults with any cancer stage, comparing melatonin with placebo or standard treatment.

Main Results:

• Evidence on melatonin's effect on quality of life and sleep is very uncertain due to low certainty.
• Melatonin likely reduces fatigue and may reduce nausea when used with standard treatment.
• Adverse event data is uncertain; no conclusions can be drawn regarding headache or dizziness.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence is insufficient to conclude on melatonin's effects on quality of life and sleep in cancer patients.
• The decision to use melatonin as an adjunct therapy is challenging due to limited data and study bias.
• Further high-quality research is needed to clarify melatonin's role in supportive cancer care.