URINARY 6-SULFATOXYMELATONIN LEVELS IN OSTEOSARCOMA - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Alterations in melatonin status have previously been reported in assoc iation with tumour growth. Based on the age correspondence between the exponential increase in bone growth, the development of osteosarcoma and the decline in melatonin levels, melatonin could be hypothesized t o be a factor in the age distribution of osteosarcoma. In this case-co ntrol study, we compared the 24 h excretion of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (a MT6S), the major urinary metabolite of melatonin, in 10 osteosarcoma p atients and 10 healthy age-matched controls. Eight of the 10 osteosarc oma patients had lower aMT6S excretion than their controls ((x) over b ar = 4.98; SD = 3.04; n = 8 vs (x) over bar 14.76; SD = 8.38; n = 10; P < 0.05). In the remaining two patients the 24-h urinary aMT6S excret ion was, however, dramatically higher than in their controls ((x) over bar = 26.94 vs (x) over bar = 11.32), rendering the differences betwe en the total patient group and the total control group statistically n ot significant ((x) over bar = 9.38; SD = 9.69; n = 10 vs (x) over bar = 14.1; SD = 7.58; n = 10; P = 0.24). No conclusive support could thu s be shown for an association between melatonin and the occurrence of osteosarcoma. (C) 1998 Chapman & Hall Ltd.