Metformin, a common medication used to manage type 2 diabetes, could potentially serve as a protective agent against two of the most prevalent forms of skin cancer—basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), according to a recent study published in The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.
The study, which analyzed National Institutes of Health data from over 13,000 individuals, revealed that patients using metformin were at a significantly lower risk of developing these non-melanoma skin cancers compared to those who did not take the drug. In particular, individuals on metformin had a 54% lower chance of developing BCC and a 35% reduced risk for SCC when compared to non-users. After adjusting for other medications linked to increased skin cancer risks, such as hydrochlorothiazide and certain TNF inhibitors, these reductions were even more pronounced—67% lower for BCC and 55% lower for SCC.
However, the drug’s protective effects appeared less significant for Black patients, particularly in relation to SCC. While Black patients taking metformin had a 39% lower unadjusted risk of SCC, this increased to 78% after adjusting for confounders. The authors suggested that this disparity could be due to the unique nature of SCC in this group, where the cancer often develops in sun-protected areas of the skin, potentially influenced more by factors like chronic scarring and inflammation than by metformin use.
The findings are particularly significant given the high prevalence of non-melanoma skin cancers in the U.S., with around 5.4 million cases diagnosed annually. The researchers hope these results may contribute to future preventive strategies, especially for populations at higher risk.
Despite these promising results, the study authors pointed out several limitations. The reliance on electronic health records for tracking metformin use might underestimate its true usage, and the potential for diagnostic errors in skin cancer coding could impact the findings’ accuracy. Moreover, the study only examined the use of metformin as an “ever” or “never” use category, leaving unanswered questions about the impact of dosage or duration of treatment.
The researchers called for further studies, particularly focused on racial and ethnic differences, to better understand metformin’s role in cancer prevention. They emphasized that personalized approaches may be key in evaluating the drug’s full potential as a chemopreventive agent.
“Given the mixed results from previous studies, the varying effects observed in different racial groups highlight the need for tailored approaches when considering metformin’s anti-cancer properties,” the study concluded.
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