Does Better Sleep Prevent Colon Cancer?
Douglas K. Rex, MD, MASGE, reviewing Zhang N, et al. Clin Transl Gastroenterol 2021 Aug 3.
In this study from Sweden, 58,657 persons aged 50 years and older prescribed melatonin were matched with 175,971 nonusers of melatonin. The adjusted hazard ratio for colorectal cancer (CRC) was 0.82 (P<.001) for melatonin users. The effect was present for tumors throughout the colon and at both early and late stages of CRC, but it reached significance only for persons aged 60 years and older. A variety of adjustments for factors including education, colonoscopy use, and nonprescription melatonin use did not affect the results.
COMMENTThese results suggest that better sleep could prevent colon cancer, but melatonin also has several proposed antitumor effects that could account for the results. Also, although this is a large national study that utilized registry data, it’s the first study to address and identify this effect, and additional studies are needed.
Note to readers: At the time we reviewed this paper, its publisher noted that it was not in final form and that subsequent changes might be made.
CITATION(S)
Zhang N, Sundquist J, Sundquist K, Ji J. Use of melatonin is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer in older adults. Clin Transl Gastroenterol 2021;12:e00396. (https://doi.org/10.14309/ctg.0000000000000396)
