Metformin and Malignant Tumors: Not Over the Hill
August 2021
in “
Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy
”
TLDR Metformin, a diabetes drug, may help prevent and treat various cancers, but more research is needed.
The document discusses the potential anti-cancer properties of Metformin, a common diabetes medication. Studies have shown that Metformin may reduce the risk of various types of cancer, including breast, lung, colorectal, prostate, gastric, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver, pancreatic, and endometrial cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes. The drug's anti-cancer effects are thought to be due to its ability to inhibit mitochondrial complex I in cancer cells, suppress appetite, promote weight loss, enhance autophagy, normalize mitochondrial function, slow cognitive decline, inhibit tumor-associated inflammatory infiltration, modulate abnormal lipid metabolism, suppress hypoxia-induced migration in cancer cells, and inactivate stromal fibroblasts in ovarian cancer. Metformin also impacts the tumor microenvironment, inhibits the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, and reduces the activity of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. However, the exact mechanisms are still under investigation. The document suggests that Metformin could be a promising candidate for cancer prevention and treatment, but more research is needed.
