title: Metformin in cancer prevention and therapy.
abstract: The prevalence of diabetes is dramatically increasing worldwide. The results of numerous epidemiological studies indicate that diabetic population is not only at increased risk of cardiovascular complications, but also at substantially higher risk of many forms of malignancies. The use of metformin, the most commonly prescribed drug for type 2 diabetes, was repeatedly associated with the decreased risk of the occurrence of various types of cancers, especially of pancreas and colon and hepatocellular carcinoma. This observation was also confirmed by the results of numerous meta-analyses. There are however, several unanswered questions regarding the exact mechanism of the anticancer effect of metformin as well as its activity against various types of cancer both in diabetic and nondiabetic populations. In the present work we discuss the proposed mechanism(s) of anticancer effect of metformin and preclinical and clinical data suggesting its anticancer effect in different populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Pomorska 251, 92-213 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kasznicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Pomorska 251, 92-213 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sliwinska
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Pomorska 251, 92-213 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Józef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drzewoski
keywords: Metformin; cancer; clinical evidence; molecular action