Does metformin prevent cancer?

Does metformin prevent cancer?

Last month, we reported that low-dose aspirin may be protective against some cancers. Now it looks like metformin may have similar properties. A new study from the American Association for Cancer Research suggests that the diabetes drug may improve the prognosis with pancreatic cancer. In a retrospective study, researchers at the University of Texas studied 302 patients with diabetes and pancreatic cancer; 117 of these patients were taking metformin. The 2-year survival rate was 30.1% for the metformin group vs 15.4% for the non-metformin group (P = 0.004; x² test). The pancreatic cancer patients on metformin lived 4 months longer than non-metformin patients (15.2 months vs 11.1 months). The authors suggest that metformin should be evaluated as a supplemental therapy for patients with pancreatic cancer (Clin Cancer Res published online March 31, 2012; doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-11-2994). Data presented at the AACR meeting in Chicago earlier this year suggest that the drug may also be beneficial for men with prostate cancer, although further research is needed.