Metformin may attenuate pancreatic cancer

Jan-2016

Metformin possess a novel ability to inhibit the progression of pancreatic cancer and reduce the risk of death, a recent study.

Pancreatic ductal carcinoma is relatively common in overweight or obese patients and most of them are type-II diabetics or diagnosed with insulin resistance.

The anti-diabetic drug can reduce the inflammatory reactions and fibrotic changes associated with pancreatic cancer, which is particularly useful in obese and overweight patients.

Metformin can inhibit desmoplasia that is characterized by accumulation of dense connective tissues and inflammatory, tumour-associated immune cells that leads to pancreatic cancers including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, said Dr. Dai Fukumura, AP of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School.

In the present study, lower levels of Hyaluronan was detected in tumour samples from obese or overweight patients who were on Metformin, compared to non-users. Hyaluronan is a component of extracellular matrix that plays a vital role in tumorigenesis.

In pre-clinical studies, Metformin significantly reduced (by 60%) tumour-associated macrophages with suppression of gene expression that is linked with extracellular matrix of tumour tissue.

The study published in the journal PLOS One. Drugsupdate.com