Masoumeh Kheirandish 1 , Hamidreza Mahboobi 1 , Maryam Yazdanparast 2 , Warda Kamal 3 , Mohammad Amjad Kamal 3,4,5 Show Affiliations »
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Metformin is widely used for management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Recently growing evidences have shown its anti-cancer effects. The results are mainly from observational studies and thus few information is available concerning the mechanisms of action. METHOD: This paper reviews recent available evidences for anti-cancer effects of metformin. The effects of metformin in specific cancers including colorectal, prostate, pancreatic, renal, cervical, endometrial, gastric, lung, breast, and ovarian cancer are reviewed. RESULTS: Adenosine Monophosphate (AMP)-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) plays an important role in mechanism of action of metformin. The anti-cancer mechanisms of metformin include direct and indirect effects. The direct effects of metformin include AMPK-independent and AMPK-dependent effects whereas decrease in glucose level, hyperinsulinemia, and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) level are considered its indirect effects. Metformin also decreases both pro-inflammatory cytokines and Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF- κB) and improves the immune response to cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Although the results of recent trials confirm the efficacy of metformin in prevention and treatment of different cancers, the evidences are not adequate enough. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.
BACKGROUND: Metformin is widely used for management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Recently growing evidences have shown its anti-cancer effects. The results are mainly from observational studies and thus few information is available concerning the mechanisms of action. METHOD: This paper reviews recent available evidences for anti-cancer effects of metformin . The effects of metformin in specific cancers including colorectal, prostate, pancreatic , renal, cervical, endometrial, gastric, lung, breast, and ovarian cancer are reviewed. RESULTS: Adenosine Monophosphate (AMP)-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK ) plays an important role in mechanism of action of metformin . The anti-cancer mechanisms of metformin include direct and indirect effects. The direct effects of metformin include AMPK -independent and AMPK -dependent effects whereas decrease in glucose level, hyperinsulinemia , and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1 ) level are considered its indirect effects. Metformin also decreases both pro-inflammatory cytokines and Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF- κB) and improves the immune response to cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Although the results of recent trials confirm the efficacy of metformin in prevention and treatment of different cancers , the evidences are not adequate enough. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.
Entities: Chemical
Disease
Gene
Keywords:
Metformin; adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK); insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1); kappalight-zzm321990chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB); reactive oxygen species; type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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Year: 2018
PMID： 29663879 DOI： 10.2174/1389200219666180416161846
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Curr Drug Metab ISSN： 1389-2002 Impact factor: 3.731