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Metformin: An anti-diabetic drug to fight cancer

Marie Daugan1, Amélie Dufaÿ Wojcicki1, Benoit d'Hayer2

  • 1Département Innovation Pharmaceutique, Etablissement Pharmaceutique de l'Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Agence Générale des Equipements et des Produits de Santé (AGEPS), 7 Rue du Fer à Moulin, 75005 Paris, France.

Pharmacological Research
|October 11, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Metformin shows anticancer effects by inhibiting cell growth and targeting cancer pathways. While generally cytostatic, it can be cytotoxic in specific conditions or when combined with other drugs, necessitating biomarker consideration.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Epidemiologic studies suggest metformin reduces cancer incidence and mortality.
  • Extensive research, including in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials, investigates metformin's anticancer potential.
  • Metformin exhibits cytostatic effects through multiple anticancer actions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying metformin's anticancer actions.
  • To explore the conditions under which metformin exhibits cytotoxic effects.
  • To highlight the importance of biomarkers in determining metformin's efficacy in cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trial data on metformin's anticancer effects.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways affected by metformin, including PI3K/MAPK and AMPK pathways.
  • Investigation of metformin's impact on tumor metabolism, inflammation, angiogenesis, and cancer stem cells.

Main Results:

  • Metformin inhibits cancer cell growth by decreasing insulinemia and blocking the PI3K/MAPK pathway.
  • Metformin directly targets cancer cells via the AMPK pathway, affecting metabolism, inflammation, angiogenesis, and stem cells.
  • Metformin alone is generally cytostatic but can be cytotoxic under specific conditions (e.g., certain mutations, low glucose) or when combined with other agents.

Conclusions:

  • Metformin possesses significant chemopreventive properties and anticancer actions.
  • Combination therapy with metformin and other drugs may enhance its cytotoxic efficacy.
  • Biomarker identification is crucial for optimizing metformin's use in diverse cancer types.
Keywords:
AMPK pathwayBiomarkersCSCsCancerCytotoxicMetformin

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