Certain types of cancer could be cured through popular drug usually prescribed to treat diabetes. Popular diabetes drug metformin have shown positive effects for curing certain types of cancer and this research could open the doors to use metformin for treating cancer, tuberous sclerosis and other diseases.
Metformin is prescribed extensively to people who have type 2 diabetes and it may be comprehensively used to treat certain types of cancer. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati investigated that metformin blocks the production of glucose and increases sensitivity to insulin. Insulin is a hormone that converts sugar and other foods into energy within the body.
The drug could be used specifically to treat tuberous sclerosis disease. In this disease tumors are formed in many organs of the body and they can lead to other health related issues, explained George Thomas, lead researcher of the study. This drug not only helps the body to make better use of insulin but also suppresses certain enzymes which can cause cancer.
They though that metformin as, an energy removal agent that immobilizes the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by activating the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) proteins through the enzyme called AMPK.
The findings were surprising and may lead to more targeted treatments for the disease. Metformin was already prescribed to millions of people worldwide and their study raised the question if that drug could be used even more widely, explained George Thomas.