Journal
DIABETOLOGIA
Volume 60, Issue 9, Pages 1639-1647Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00125-017-4372-6
Keywords
Cancer; Cancer prevention; Cancer recurrence; Chemoprevention; Metformin; Review
Categories
Funding
- Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC)
- TRANSCAN-ERANET [JTC 2013-056]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Multiple epidemiological studies have documented an association between metformin, used for treatment of type 2 diabetes, and reduced cancer incidence and mortality. Cell line models may not accurately reflect the effects of metformin in the clinical setting. Moreover, findings from animal model studies have been inconsistent, whilst those from more recent epidemiological studies have tempered the overall effect size. The purpose of this review is to examine metformin's chemopreventive potential by outlining relevant mechanisms of action, the most recent epidemiologic evidence, and recently completed and ongoing clinical trials. Although repurposing drugs with excellent safety profiles is an appealing strategy for cancer prevention and treatment in the adjuvant setting, there is no substitute for well-executed, large randomised clinical trials to define efficacy and determine the populations that are most likely to benefit from an intervention. Thus, enthusiasm remains for understanding the role of metformin in cancer through ongoing clinical research.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available