Metformin for Oral Cancer Prevention

Metformin is an oral biguanide that is currently the drug of choice for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and prescribed to at least 120 million people worldwide. Metformin’s safety profile for long term use and the management of its potential side effects are therefore well documented. Metformin treatment is also found to reduce tumor cell growth in part by reducing the activity of the mTOR cellular pathway- as such, it shows potential as a chemopreventive agent for cancers including oral pre-cancerous lesions.

 

Where We Have Been

In the first phase IIa trial of metformin, intervention results produced encouraging evidence of histological responses and mTOR pathway modulation-supporting further investigation as a chemopreventive agent.

 

Where We Are Going

Our current study is a phase IIb randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in current and former smokers with oral leukoplakia or erythroplakia to explore the potential of metformin for oral cancer prevention over 24-weeks. Dalhousie’s Faculty of Dentistry represents one of only two sites in Canada, and amongst a total of 10 sites in North America participating in this groundbreaking clinical trial.  

 

Research Goal 

The aim of the researcher team is to better understand metformin's mechanisms and potential as a promising chemopreventive strategy to control the development of oral cancer from premalignant lesions in the oral cavity.

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This is a NIH-NCI sponsored study out of the University of Arizona Cancer Centre.