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Repurposing metformin for the prevention of cancer and cancer recurrence

Brandy M Heckman-Stoddard1, Andrea DeCensi2,3, Vikrant V Sahasrabuddhe4

  • 1Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA. heckmanbm@mail.nih.gov.

Diabetologia
|August 5, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Metformin, a type 2 diabetes drug, shows potential for cancer prevention. Ongoing clinical trials are crucial to confirm its efficacy and identify patient groups who may benefit most.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Epidemiological studies suggest metformin use is associated with reduced cancer incidence and mortality.
  • Inconsistent findings from animal models and tempered effect sizes in recent human studies necessitate further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review metformin's chemopreventive potential.
  • To outline mechanisms of action, recent epidemiological evidence, and clinical trial data.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing epidemiological data.
  • Analysis of preclinical and clinical trial findings.
  • Examination of metformin's proposed biological mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Evidence suggests a potential link between metformin and cancer risk reduction.
  • Clinical trial data is still evolving, with ongoing studies to clarify efficacy.

Conclusions:

  • Metformin repurposing is appealing for cancer prevention due to its safety profile.
  • Large, randomized clinical trials are essential to establish metformin's role in cancer management and identify beneficial populations.
Keywords:
CancerCancer preventionCancer recurrenceChemopreventionMetforminReview

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