Diabetes drug Metformin shows some activity in castrate resistant prostate cancer

[JimJimJimJim]

Jim Marshall (not a doctor) said ...

Metformin is drug used to treat type II diabetes, or to delay type II diabetes in people at risk.

 

It has some anti-prostate cancer activity. 

The evidence is not strong enough to give it to men as an anti-prostate cancer drug.

But if you are a man who has been given it for diabetes, or because you are at risk for diabetes (pre-diabetic), you may take some comfort from the following paper, in an "every little bit helps" kind of way.

... end Jim

 

European Urology 66 (2014)) 468 - 474
Metformin in Chemotherapy-naive Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: A Multicenter Phase 2 Trial (SAKK 08/09)

Christian Rothermundt a,*, Stefanie Hayoz b, Arnoud J. Templeton a,b, Ralph Winterhalder c, Ra ̈to T. Strebel d, Daniela Ba ̈rtschi b, Michael Pollak e, Lillianne Lui e, Kathrin Endt f,

Ralph Schiess f, Jan H. Ru ̈schoff g, Richard Cathomas d,y, Silke Gillessen a,y

a Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland; b SAKK Coordinating Center Bern, Bern, Switzerland; c Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland; d Cantonal Hospital Chur, Chur, Switzerland; e Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research Jewish General Hospital Montre ́al, Montre ́al, Canada; f ProteoMediX, Schlieren, Switzerland; g Institute of Surgical Pathology University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Article info

Article history:

Accepted December 23, 2013

Published online ahead of print on January 4, 2014

Keywords:

Castration-resistant prostate cancer

Metabolic parameters Metformin

Abstract

Background: There is evidence linking metformin to improved prostate cancer (PCa)-related outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate treatment with metformin in patients with castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) and the effect of the treatment on progression-free survival (PFS) and PSA doubling time (PSA DT).

Design, setting, and participants: Forty-four men with progressive metastatic CRPC from 10 Swiss centers were included in this single-arm phase 2 trial between December 2010 and December 2011.

Intervention: Patients received metformin 1000 mg twice daily until disease progression. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The primary end point was the absence of disease progression at 12 wk. Simon two-stage optimal design was applied. With a 5% significance level and 90% power, 44 patients were required to test PFS at 12 wk

[Paul Edwards]

I am not a diabetic.  After watching Dr Snuffy Myer's video on Metformin I discussed Metformin with my oncologist.  My oncologist has added Metformin to my medication.