A Common Diabetes Drug Could Reduce Cancer Risk

Who would have ever guessed that a drug commonly used for diabetes would turn out to be something that might reduce cancer risk?

A Common Drug

Well, research conducted at the Michigan State University has now shown that metformin, a drug used for type 2 diabetes, prevents a number of natural and man-made chemicals from stimulating the growth of breast-cancer cells. The report appeared online in PLosS One, the open-access, peer-reviewed, scientific journal published by the Public Library of Science.

A Cell Study Done in the Lab

It's been known for some time that patients with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of getting several diabetes-associated cancers, including those of the breast, liver, and pancreas. This study, which was done in the lab using human breast-cancer cells, looked at how metformin (which is also reasonably priced, by the way) works on a cellular level to prevent breast cancer.

The researchers discovered that metformin dramatically reduced the size of mammosphere cells, tiny human breast tumors that the scientists grew in culture dishes. Ordinarily, mammospheres increase in size when a breast cancer begins to grow.

Some Real Data

For some time, researchers have observed that the long-term use of metformin in people with type 2 diabetes seemed to reduce their risk of diabetes-associated cancers. This experiment now offers some hard data to back up this observation.

Next, the scientists will conduct research studies that will involve giving metformin to patients with breast cancer.