Home / Health / 2p Diabetes Drug May Slash Prostate Cancer Risk
2p Diabetes Drug May Slash Prostate Cancer Risk
15 Mar
Summary
- Cheap diabetes drug Metformin may reduce prostate cancer risk by over a third.
- A study tracked nearly 95,000 men from 2012 to 2019.
- Early use of Metformin shows greater effectiveness against prostate cancer.
A groundbreaking study suggests that Metformin, a common diabetes medication, could potentially decrease the risk of prostate cancer by more than a third. This inexpensive drug, costing as little as 2 pence per tablet, is already used by millions for type 2 diabetes management.
The research, which tracked almost 95,000 men between 2012 and 2019, identified a significant reduction in prostate cancer diagnoses among those taking Metformin. The findings, published in BJC Reports, indicate that Metformin users were 35% less likely to be diagnosed with the disease.
Experts noted that Metformin might work by blocking cancer cell reproduction and lowering insulin levels, a hormone that aids malignant cell multiplication. The study's evidence points to the drug being more effective when administered earlier, potentially before cancer is detected.
This development offers hope, as prostate cancer cases in the UK have risen by over 40% in the last 15 years, affecting more than 60,000 men annually. Further research is ongoing to understand Metformin's full impact on prostate cancer risk.
