Abstract

VILLEGAS VALVERDE, Carlos Agustín; FRONTELA NODA, Maydelín  and  GARCIA FIGUEREDO, Isbel. New evidence of the use of metformin in the treatment of cancer. Rev Cubana Endocrinol [online]. 2016, vol.27, n.3, pp. 80-90. ISSN 1561-2953.

Metformin is a widely used biguanide in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recent evidence indicates new uses for this old drug. Cancer is a worldwide health problem that develops more frequently in type 2 diabetic people with worse prognosis. However, it has been demonstrated that when they are treated with metformin, the incidence, complications and mortality rates are lower. For these reasons, a number of epidemiological, basic, preclinical research studies as well as clinical assays have been conducted for almost a decade in order to substantiate evidence from the protective and antitumor effect of this drug. It was found that it has some antineoplastic effects due to insulin sensitizing mechanisms and other pro-apoptotic ones that impair the cancer stem cell development and interfere in carcinogenesis. This has shown a wide range of applications of metformin in the treatment of cancer including the preventive and coadjuvant effects of the conventional treatments.

Keywords : metformin; mechanisms of action; cancer.

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