Scientists are now exploring an important new question: can medications used to treat diabetes also affect the growth of cancer?
Diabetes has long been linked to a higher risk of certain cancers, but researchers are beginning to look beyond blood sugar control to understand how these medications might directly influence cancer cells, inflammation, and the immune system.
A recent review published in the journal Precision Clinical Medicine, brings together current studies on this topic. The research was led by scientists at Peking University People’s Hospital and focuses on how common diabetes drugs like metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors, and GLP-1 receptor agonists may play a role in cancer biology.
Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is known to raise the risk of developing cancers such as liver, colon, and breast cancer. Managing blood sugar and keeping a healthy weight are important steps in lowering these risks.
But doctors have noticed that even when these factors are controlled, people with diabetes may still have a higher cancer risk. That’s why researchers are now investigating whether diabetes medications themselves might either help prevent cancer or, in some cases, have unexpected side effects.
The review looked at both lab experiments and clinical studies. Metformin, one of the most widely used diabetes medications, showed the most promise. Studies suggest it can help slow cancer growth by boosting the immune system, changing how cells grow and die, and improving the environment around tumors.
Metformin affects key pathways in the body, such as AMPK, mTOR, and PI3K/AKT, which help control cell growth and energy use.
Other diabetes drugs are also being studied. SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists may help reduce inflammation, slow cancer cell growth, and encourage cancer cells to die off. However, the results are not the same across all types of cancers or medications.
For example, metformin seems to lower the risk of colon and liver cancers but has unclear results when it comes to breast cancer. The review makes it clear that each drug works differently, and more studies are needed to fully understand how they may affect different types of cancer.
Dr. Linong Ji, one of the researchers, said that we still have a lot to learn. While diabetes medications are essential for treating diabetes, their effects on cancer are complex and not yet fully understood.
Some early studies are promising, but more long-term research is needed. Scientists need to know how these drugs affect cancer patients over time, and whether they can be safely used alongside regular cancer treatments.
This research also points to the importance of personalized medicine. People with both diabetes and cancer may benefit from treatments that are chosen based on their individual health needs.
If we can learn how different diabetes drugs affect cancer risk, doctors may be able to pick the best medication for each patient. This could lead to better care, not just for managing diabetes, but also for reducing cancer risk or supporting cancer treatment.
The review also encourages more clinical trials. If drugs like metformin are proven helpful in cancer care, they might be used more widely or in new ways. Since these medications are already available and well-studied for diabetes, testing them for cancer treatment could happen faster than developing entirely new drugs.
Overall, this review brings hope that some diabetes medications could also help fight cancer. But it also shows how much more we need to learn. Scientists are only beginning to understand the full effects of these drugs. With more research, we may find new ways to improve health for millions of people living with both diabetes and cancer.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that a low-carb diet could increase overall cancer risk, and vitamin D supplements could strongly reduce cancer death.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how drinking milk affects the risks of heart disease and cancer and results showing higher intake of dairy foods linked to higher prostate cancer risk.
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