Cancer as the main aging factor for humans: the fundamental role of 5-methoxy-tryptamine in reversal of cancer-induced aging processes in metabolic and immune reactions by non-melatonin pineal hormones.
2013
Aging and advanced cancer are characterized by similar neuroendocrine and immune deficiencies; the most
important of them consist of diminished nocturnal production of the pineal hormone melatonin (MLT) and decreased production
of IL-2. At present, however, it is known that the pineal gland may produce indole hormones other than MLT. The
most investigated of them is represented by 5-methoxy-tryptamine (5-MTT), which may exert antitumor, anticachectic,
and immunomodulating effects under experimental conditions, in addition to those effects produced by MLT itself. In an
attempt to obtain some preliminary data in human subjects about the potential therapeutic properties of 5-MTT, three different
studies of 5-MTT have been carried out in advanced solid tumor patients. The first study of MLT plus 5-MTT included
14 thrombocytopenic cancer patients who did not respond to MLT alone. In the second study we have compared
the clinical efficacy of MLT plus 5-MTT in a group of 25 untreatable metastatic cancer patients to the results obtained in a
control group of 25 cancer patients receiving MLT alone. Finally, the third study of MLT plus 5-MTT included 14 untreatable
metastatic cancer patients who did not respond to MLT alone. In all of these studies, MLT and 5-MTT were
given orally at the level of 20 mg/day in the evening and at 5 mg/day during the period of maximum light. A normalization
of platelet number was achieved by MLT plus 5-MTT in 5 of 14 (36%) thrombocytopenic cancer patients who did not
respond to MLT alone. The percentage of disease control obtained by MLT plus 5-MTT in untreatable metastatic cancer
patients was significantly higher than that achieved by MLT alone (15/25 [60%] vs. 8/25 [32%], P<0.05). Finally, the association
of 5-MTT with MLT induced disease stabilization in 4 of 14 (29%) untreatable metastatic cancer patients who
did not respond to MLT alone.
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