Title:Metformin for Prevention and Treatment of Colon Cancer: A Reappraisal of Experimental and Clinical Data
VOLUME: 17 ISSUE: 4
Author(s):Vladimir N. Anisimov
Affiliation:Department of Carcinogenesis and Oncogerontology, N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, Pesochny- 2, St.Petersburg 197758, Russia.
Keywords:Colorectal cancer, metformin, prevention, treatment.
Abstract:In the 70-80th of last century, it has been shown that the antidiabetic biguanide drugs phenformin
(PF) and buformin (BF) can exert an inhibitory action on carcinogenesis in animal models and
increase from 5 to 10-years survival of cancer patients. Since 2005, after first evidence publication of
the capacity of metformin (MF), another biguanide, to prevent development of malignant tumors in individuals
with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and suppress tumorigenesis in mice, the burst of studies started in
this field focused on breast, pancreas, prostatic, endometrial and some other cancers. Colorectal cancer
(CRC) is the most prevalent among digestive system cancers. In this mini-review are presented the
available data on the capacity of antidiabetic biguanide drugs to prevent colorectal carcinogenesis and growth in vitro and
in vivo in experimental models and clinical observations.
