title: Protective and sensitive effects of melatonin combined with adriamycin on ER+ (estrogen receptor) breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the protective and sensitive effects of melatonin (MLT) in the treatment of breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  ER+ breast cancer rat model was established and then rats were randomly divided into five different groups as follows: control group, Diss group, adriamycin (ADM) group, MLT group, and MLT combined with adriamycin (M+A) group. Tumor weights and one month survival rate were compared among these groups. In addition, changes of tumor tissues and expression of E-cadherin were observed under optical microscopy or electro-microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tumor weights were significantly lighter in M+A group than those in ADM group (p < 0.05). Under optical and electro-microscopy, tumor cell apoptosis was obviously increased in MLT group, and tumor cell injury was more severe in M+A group than that in ADM group; additionally, expression of E-cadherin was higher in MLT group and M+A group than that in other groups. Moreover, MLT group had the highest one month survival rate (100%), there was the poorest life quality in ADM group, but the best life quality in MLT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MLT could enhance the sensitivity of tumor to ADM in vivo and improve patient's life quality.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: L X
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Z P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D004317:Doxorubicin; D008550:Melatonin