Oral Hypoglycemics for Breast Cancer?

Population-based studies have demonstrated that use of metformin — a drug commonly prescribed as first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes — is associated with diminished incidence of cancer. Also, in vitro studies have shown that metformin has antiproliferative effects against a wide variety of cancer cells, including breast cancer cells. To support these findings with clinical data, investigators conducted a retrospective study involving 2529 patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer.

The study cohort consisted of 68 diabetic patients who received metformin, 87 diabetic patients who did not receive metformin, and 2374 nondiabetic patients. All patients received 3 to 6 cycles of an anthracycline-based chemoth…