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Metformin and neoplasia: Implications and indications
- Source :
- Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 133:108-115
- Publication Year :
- 2012
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2012.
-
Abstract
- Metformin has been shown to exert anti-neoplastic and chemopreventive activities in epidemiological and animal studies. This review article discusses the epidemiological studies and examines the possible mechanisms by which metformin exerts its anti-carcinogenic activities in breast, colon, ovarian, lung, and prostate cancers. We performed a systematic review of the clinical studies examining the anti-neoplastic activities of metformin and the potential mechanisms associated with these activities. Several observational and biological studies revealed a significant association between metformin and reduction in cancer incidence. The mechanisms by which metformin exerts these effects are unknown. This action may be mediated through activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and inhibition of insulin like growth factors (IGFs), and many others. Further laboratory investigation and large, prospective population clinical trials are required to elucidate metformin anti-neoplastic and chemo-preventive actions.
- Subjects :
- endocrine system diseases
Population
Antineoplastic Agents
AMP-Activated Protein Kinases
Pharmacology
Somatomedins
Neoplasms
medicine
Animals
Anticarcinogenic Agents
Humans
Insulin
Pharmacology (medical)
education
PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway
education.field_of_study
business.industry
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
nutritional and metabolic diseases
Cancer
AMPK
medicine.disease
Metformin
Review article
Clinical trial
Animal studies
business
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 01637258
- Volume :
- 133
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Pharmacology & Therapeutics
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a3ce2d5a8acc14dab4378a2243b2d816