Melatonin supplements mimic the effects of your own naturally produced melatonin in promoting sleep. Research shows melatonin can have a substantial role in cancer outcomes and side effects.
How do experts use melatonin?
Both medical groups and integrative experts provide recommendations for melatonin in treating people with cancer. Learn more about the approaches and meanings of recommendations: Integrative Oncology Programs and Expert Guidelines ›
Clinical practice guidelines
Inconclusive evidence to make recommendations for or against melatonin to improve anxiety symptoms in people with cancer regardless of when in the course of care
Published protocols, programs, and approaches
Melatonin is used in programs, approaches, and protocolsa package of therapies combining and preferably integrating various therapies and practices into a cohesive design for care from these integrative oncologists, drawing from both scientific research and observations from years or even decades of treating people with cancer.
Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, and Karolyn Gazella
Alschuler LN, Gazella KA. The Definitive Guide to Cancer, 3rd Edition: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing. Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts. 2010.
Alschuler LN, Gazella KA. The Definitive Guide to Thriving after Cancer: A Five-Step Integrative Plan to Reduce the Risk of Recurrence and Build Lifelong Health. Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. 2013.
Approaches are described for certain cancer types, or along with certain conventional therapy treatments, or for particular conditions such as insulin resistance.
Uses of melatonin:
- Brain cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colon cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma
- Lung cancer
- Melanoma
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Soft tissue sarcoma
- Thyroid cancer
- Healthy digestion
- Hormone balance
Keith Block, MD
Block KI. Life over Cancer: The Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Care. New York: Bantam Dell. 2009.
The integrative Block Program has recommendations to people who are at different places along the cancer continuum:
- Those who’ve been recently diagnosed
- Those in treatment
- Those who’ve concluded treatment and need to remain vigilant to prevent recurrence
Uses of melatonin:
- Breast cancer (case study)
- Improving sleep
- Immune surveillance terrain modifier
- Logical coupler with chemotherapy
Raymond Chang, MD, FACP
Chang R. Beyond the Magic Bullet: The Anti-Cancer Cocktail. New York: Square One Publishers. 2012.
This book describes a “new therapy based on the knowledge that certain off-label drugs, nutrients, and therapies are each somewhat effective against cancer.” Dr. Chang combines approaches for added benefit.
Describe the recommendation(s) or delete this sentence if none.
Gerald Lemole, MD; Pallav Mehta, MD; and Dwight McKee, MD
Lemole GM, Mehta PK, McKee DL. After Cancer Care: The Definitive Self-Care Guide to Getting and Staying Well for Patients with Cancer. New York, New York: Rodale, Inc. 2015.
These doctors present easy-to-incorporate lifestyle changes to help you “turn on” hundreds of genes that fight cancer, and “turn off” the ones that encourage cancer, while recommending lifestyle approaches to address each type.
Uses of melatonin:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
Neil McKinney, BSc, ND
McKinney N. Naturopathic Oncology, Fourth Edition. Victoria, BC, Canada: Liaison Press. 2020.
This book includes descriptions and uses of many natural and complementary protocols for cancer in general and for specific cancers. It also includes information on integrative support during conventional cancer treatment.
Uses of melatonin:
- General cancer
- Breast cancer
- Carcinoid/neuroendocrine cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Fibrosarcoma
- Head and neck cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia and Myelodysplastic syndrome
- Liver/gallbladder cancer
- Lung cancer
- Lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Stomach cancer
Gurdev Parmar, ND, FABNO, and Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO
Parmar G, Kaczor T. Textbook of Naturopathic Oncology: A Desktop Guide of Integrative Cancer Care. 1st edition. Medicatrix Holdings Ltd. 2020.
This book provides information on the treatment of 24 cancers, plus the most effective treatments of the most common symptoms affecting cancer patients while they undergo chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery.
Uses of melatonin:
- Breast cancer
- Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
- Colorectal cancer
- Head and neck cancers
- Kidney cancer
- Liver/hepatocellular cancers
- Melanoma
- Non-small cell lung cancer
- Primary brain tumor
Other expert assessments
Donald Abrams, MD, and Andrew Weil, MD
This 2014 book by integrative medicine experts and CancerChoices advisors describes a wide variety of complementary interventions to conventional cancer care, including a chapter from the perspective of a cancer patient. Abrams & Weil list melatonin as having benefit in lung cancer and as a sleep aid and an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
Current Oncology Reports
An expert review of evidence suggests that melatonin “might have a potential role in alleviating cancer-related fatigue” among people with a deficiency.1David A, Hausner D, Frenkel M. Cancer-related fatigue-is there a role for complementary and integrative medicine? Current Oncology Reports. 2021 Nov 7;23(12):145.
Moss Reports
The Moss Reports conclude that melatonin has anticancer effects.
Dosing
Dosage has not been standardized for use in cancer care, but recommendations are available from these sources.
General information about dosing
Find general dosing guidelines regarding natural products and supplements in Dosing Guidelines ›
Expert commentary
CancerChoices Senior Clinical Consultant Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS: Is melatonin before surgery a good idea or not? We have presented guidance from integrative oncology experts advising to stop taking melatonin supplements before surgery, as it may increase the sedating effects of anesthesia and prolong the time it takes you to wake up after surgery. Yet we have also presented evidence suggesting that a dose of melatonin given just before surgery may decrease the dose of anesthesia required, and it may decrease anxiety both before and after surgery and improve pain management after surgery.
We turned to CancerChoices advisor and retired anesthesiologist Gwen Stritter, MD, for her take from a practical clinical perspective. Her response:
I’m not impressed by the quality of the research in the Naguib study that concludes that melatonin may be a good pre-medication to reduce anesthesia requirements. And, because it is tricky adding anything to anesthesia that increases analgesia or sedation (it could interfere with people waking up quickly from anesthesia, amongst other potential problems), I personally would not prescribe it.
I’d feel much more comfortable using oral or IV NSAIDs or intra-op local anesthesia to reduce post-operative analgesic requirements. I would also feel more comfortable using an ultra-short-acting sedative should the patient need one pre-op rather than add a long-acting substance like melatonin that would delay emergence from anesthesia.
Our assessment is that you should not take melatonin for 5 to 7 days before surgery unless your physician specifically recommends use. You need to alert your medical team (oncologist, surgeon, primary care provider) to your use of melatonin or any other supplements as you prepare for surgery.
References