Expanding the therapeutic spectrum of metformin: From diabetes to cancer

摘要: Metformin, an oral hypoglycemic agent, was introduced in the clinical practice for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus more than a half-century ago. Over years, several studies demonstrated that diabetic patients treated with metformin have lower incidence cancer, raising hypothesis spectrum applications drug could be expanded also to cancer therapy. Following these initial findings, large number were performed aimed at elucidating effects on different types tumor, explaining its direct and indirect anti-cancer mechanisms identifying molecular pathways targeted by drug. Several trials evaluating potential effect among non-diabetic affected cancer. While results are encouraging, considerable other investigations do not support role as highlight variables possibly accounting discrepancies. We hereby review vitro vivo addressing issue metformin. If data appear solid, provided somehow controversial. In this view, larger needed fully elucidate development progression, well specific settings which become