Metformin is a well-known medication used to manage type 2 diabetes, but recent research suggests it might also help in the fight against cancer. Scientists at the University of Helsinki have made a promising discovery about how metformin could enhance the body’s ability to battle cancer.
Their study, published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, shows that metformin can activate immune cells, making them better at recognizing and attacking cancer cells.
The research team, led by Rita Turpin and Juha Klefström, focused on dendritic cells. These are a type of immune cell that helps the immune system identify cancer cells as threats.
The team found that metformin affects the metabolism of dendritic cells, making them more active. This increased activity boosts the immune response against cancer cells, suggesting that metformin could be a valuable addition to cancer treatment.
To conduct their study, the researchers used samples of human breast cancer tissue. These samples contained living cancer cells and immune cells that had infiltrated the cancer tissue. This method is called patient-derived explant cultures.
It allows researchers to see how drugs affect cancer cells and the surrounding immune cells in an environment that closely mimics natural conditions.
Klefström emphasized the importance of these cultures, explaining that they are crucial for understanding how cancer drugs impact immune cells within tumors.
This approach can help identify drugs that are effective against cancer cells while preserving the function of immune cells. It can also reveal treatments like metformin that not only are safe and tolerable but also activate immune cells to fight cancer.
The success of this research depends greatly on the willingness of breast cancer patients to donate tumor samples. Their contributions are invaluable, enabling significant advancements in cancer research.
Thanks to their participation, researchers can continue to explore how existing drugs like metformin could be repurposed to enhance cancer therapy. This could potentially lead to new strategies that use the body’s own immune system to combat cancer.
This study not only expands our understanding of metformin’s capabilities beyond diabetes treatment but also opens the door to developing new anticancer therapies.
Combining metformin with other immune-activating treatments could lead to even more effective cancer treatments in the future.
If you are interested in cancer research, studies like these provide valuable insights into new methods of treating cancer. For example, recent research has suggested that a low-dose, four-drug combo may block cancer spread.
Additionally, studies have shown that certain nutrients in fish and daily vitamins can play a critical role in cancer prevention.
For more detailed information on this research, you can refer to the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about a new method to treat cancer effectively, and this low-dose, four-drug combo may block cancer spread.
For more information about cancer prevention, please see recent studies about nutrient in fish that can be a poison for cancer, and results showing this daily vitamin is critical to cancer prevention.
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