Diabetes drug may lower risk of prostate cancer death

WEBMD – Aug. 5, 2013 – A study of nearly 4,000 diabetic men found that those taking metformin when diagnosed with prostate cancer were less likely to die of the cancer or other causes compared to men using other diabetes drugs. But whether metformin can prevent prostate cancer progression in people without diabetes remains to be seen, experts say.

In the new study, published online Aug. 5 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Margel looked at more than 3,800 diabetic men aged 67 or older who lived in Ontario. During roughly four years of follow-up, Margel found those who took metformin had a 24 percent reduction in risk from prostate cancer death for every additional six months of use after their cancer diagnosis.  More ...