Metformin, a drug prescribed for type 2 diabetes, appears to starve breast cancer cells by denying them access to high-energy nutrients.? The relationship between metformin and breast cancer treatment has been studied for several years, and has been tested in the lab along with Adriamycin on breast cancer stem cells.? It appears to boost the effectiveness of Adriamycin treatment for hormone-sensitive breast cancer, as well as HER2-positive and triple-negative breast tumors.
A new study supported by Breakthrough Breast Cancer has been aimed at developing a test to determine which patients with breast cancer would benefit most from a treatment plan using metformin.? The study was led by Dr. Michael Lisanti of Thomas Jefferson University and Dr. Anthony Howell of the University of Manchester.? Dr Howell explained that, "Some cancer cells are fed by healthy cells.? We discovered an agent that would block that.? It is Metformin, a common drug used to treat diabetes."? When asked how this will help breast cancer patients, he replied, ""The potential benefit is that it will stop the cancer cell being fed by the normal cell and then the cancer cell won't grow."? Dr. Howell also noted that Metformin is relatively inexpensive, especially compared to standard chemotherapy drugs.
Women who are diagnosed with aggressive forms of breast cancer may someday be tested to see if Metformin will stop the growth and recurrence of their cancer.? If their tumor responds to the diabetes drug, then they may take personalized treatment, based specifically on the type of tumor and the fuel it requires to grow.? Dr. Howell said, "This is terrifically exciting. It is a step towards having each patient get the right treatment for them - what we call personalized medicine. We are looking at a new way to separate patients based on who should respond well to the treatments we have, and who might need something different."
Metformin is readily available and each pill costs about 10 pence in the United Kingdom or roughly 16 cents in the United States.? The results of Lisanti and Howell's study was published in the journal Cell Cycle.
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