| dc.description.abstract | Given the direct relationship between the survival rates of oral cancer patients by stage of cancer at diagnosis session, the early preventive measures to stop the progression or regression of malignant tumors is of high importance.The preventive effect of melatonin on different cancers such as skin cancer, fibrosarcoma, endometrial cancer and hepatocarcinogenesis has been shown by several studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventive effect of melatonin on oral squamous cell carcinoma development from premalignant lesion. Methods and Materials: In this animal study, the mice were divided into three groups of eight. To induce the premalignant lesions, whole mice have received 50 mg/ml of 4-NitroQuinolone 1- oxide (4NQO; Cat# N8141, Sigma, St. Louis, MO) solution in drinking water for 14 weeks. Then all mice were randomly divided into three groups, namely 1, 2 and 3 (control) groups. For group one 2 mg/l and for group two 20 mg/l of melatonin in drinking water was administered and the third group as the control one received drinking water without any additive drug . In the 22th week of study, all mice were sacrificed, the whole tongue tissue was extracted and photographic pictures were capture from all detectable lesions. All samples were analyzed to assess any dysplasia. For statistical analysis of the data obtained from the study of descriptive statistical methods (mean, standard deviation or median frequency-percentage), the Kruskal-Wallis test to compare means between groups and the chi-square for the significant results of test were used. All calculations were performed using SPSS 15 and P values less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: This study showed that melatonin leads to regression of premalignant lesions by reducing the size of premalignant lesions (lesion diameter). Furthermore, it was observed that the effect of melatonin on reducing the size of the lesions in the lower dose was significant. Although the degree of dysplasia and the number of lesions in the groups treated with melatonin had decreased, but the changes were not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study showed that melatonin dose-dependently reduced the diameter of premalignant lesions | |
