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Metformin blocks colon cancer

14 Jul 2010


Many studies link a high calorie diet to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Studies of diabetic cancer patients receiving metformin suggested the drug improves outcomes.

Algire and colleagues observed that a high calorie diet increases insulin levels, increases expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) and increases colon tumour growth in mice. Metformin reduced insulin levels, thereby reducing expression of FASN. In addition, they suggest metformin may have some direct antiproliferative activity on tumour cells. Algire et al. (2010), Endocrine-Related Cancer 17, 351-360.

DOI: 10.1677/ERC-09-0252