Urinary Melatonin-sulfate/cortisol Ratio and the Risk of Prostate
Cancer: A Case-control Study
Abstract
Objective: The aim of the present study is to study the correlation
between urinary cortisol and melatonin metabolites and prostate cancer.
Method: Patients with a histologically confirmed new prostate carcinoma
with no previous malignancies have been included in the study as
“cases.” Healthy individuals who applied to check-up and sleep
disorder polyclinics were included as the healthy control group. Serum
prostate-specific antigen (PSA), urinary melatonin sulfate, and cortisol
levels in the first-morning spot urine samples were measured during the
admission and diagnosis for all participants. Results: A total of 180
patients with a proven pathology of prostate adenocarcinoma and 240
healthy males participated in the study as the control group. When
compared with the control group, significantly lower urinary melatonin
sulfate levels (49.85±46.58) ng/mg vs. (64.25±66.75) ng/mg, p = 0.003)
and significantly lower melatonin sulfate/cortisol (M/C) ratios (2.38 ±
3.20 vs. 5.28 ± 15.32, p <0.001) (respectively) levels were
found in the patients. Subjects who had high M/C ratios and urinary
melatonin-sulfate were less exposed to risk of prostate cancer at a
statistically significant rate than those with lower urinary
melatonin-sulfate or M/C ratios. We also discovered that subjects with a
low M/C ratio and preoperative PSA levels above 10 ng/mL were 3.58 times
more likely (95% CI = 1.58–8.12) to develop prostate cancer than those
with a high M/C ratio and preoperative low PSA (<10 ng/mL).
Conclusion: We concluded that there was association between lower
morning melatonin sulfate levels or M/C ratio and the risk of prostate
cancer. Moreover, patients who had both low PSA levels and M/C ratios
higher than 10 ng/mL were much more exposed to advanced (end-stage)
disease and prostate cancer.