Metformin在癌症預防的檢視

The role of metformin in chemoprevention of cancer

許多流行病研究和動物試驗均證實，治療糖尿病的藥物metformin能減少癌症的發生率和死亡率，包括胰臟癌、胃癌、前列腺癌、大腸癌、卵巢癌、子宮內膜癌、肺癌、乳癌等。至於在非糖尿病者是否有同樣的功效？還有理想劑量、計畫和使用時間，以及在免疫能力和免疫調節功能等，皆有待日後更大規模的研究加以證實。Metformin作為化學預防癌症是值得深入探討與應用。

Multiple epidemiologic studies and animal models have documented an association between the anti-diabetic agent metformin and reduced cancer incidence and mortality, including pancreatic, gastric, prostate, colon, ovarian, endometrial, pulmonary and breast cancer. Recent studies have been conducted to determine whether a similar protective effect can be demonstrated in nondiabetic cancer patients. However, the potential optimal dose, schedule, and duration of metformin treatment are future, as the immune activity unknown. In and immunomodulatory effect of metformin on cancer cells were investigated. Finally, metformin is good clinical candidate for further exploration of the mechanism of action as applied to chemoprevention of many kind of cancer.