The impact of metformin in the treatment and evolution of oncological patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Metformin is an oral antidiabetic agent widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, where it is commonly used as an insulin sensitizer since not only it has a function of lowering blood sugar, but also of reducing insulin resistance associated to hyperinsulinemia. It has been recently demonstrated that the use of metformin as an insulin sensitizer reduces incidence, progression and even mortality through cancer (Evans JM et al., 2005), while insulin and sulphonylureas have been associated with high incidence and mortality. Although the exact mechanism by which metformin has a protective role with respect to neoplasia is not precisely known, it has been established that its role of inhibiting cancerogenesis is due to its impact on the AMPK/LKB1 metabolism. A significant number of studies mention the beneficial effect that metformin has on the treatment and prognosis of certain neoplastic localizations (mammary, pancreas, colorectal, hepatic), most frequently by interfering with cell cycle regulation. Thus, the study of the effects of oral anti-diabetic drugs is worth being continued, as they can bring multiple benefits to administered oncological treatments.