Hormonal
Metformin use is associated with a reduced risk of various cancers, including breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer, though effects on pancreatic cancer prognosis are mixed.
If you have diabetes and take metformin, you may have a lower risk of developing certain cancers like breast and colorectal cancer. However, it is not a cancer treatment itself. Do not stop taking metformin to 'prevent' cancer without consulting your doctor, as the benefits for diabetes management are primary.
A study by Bodmer et al. showed a reduced risk for breast cancer in women with T2D by long-term metformin usage [71]. Several clinical studies reported that metformin application in T2D patients not only reduced the risk of colorectal cancer, but also improved the survival rate of colorectal cancer patients [74, 75].
Why this rating
Based on retrospective studies and meta-analyses; preclinical data supports mechanisms, but human clinical outcomes vary by cancer type.
Source
Metformin in aging and aging-related diseases: clinical applications and relevant mechanisms
Sheng Chen et al. · Theranostics · 2022
DOI 10.7150/thno.71360
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