Researchers from National Taiwan University College of Medicine Report on Findings in Cancer Risk (Metformin and lung cancer risk in patients with…

Diabetes Week

Researchers from National Taiwan University College of Medicine Report on Findings in Cancer Risk (Metformin and lung cancer risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Diabetes Week -- Researchers detail new data in Oncology - Cancer Risk. According to news originating from Taipei, Taiwan, by NewsRx editors, the research stated, "This study evaluated whether metformin might reduce lung cancer risk. The reimbursement database of the Taiwan's National Health Insurance was used."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the National Taiwan University College of Medicine, "A sample of 15414 never users and 280159 ever users of metformin (original sample) and a 1:1 matched-pairs of ever and never users (n=15414 in each group, matched sample) were recruited from patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus during 1999-2005. They were followed until December 31, 2011. Cox regression incorporated with the inverse probability of treatment weighting using propensity score was used to estimate hazard ratios. Results showed that the respective incidence of lung cancer in ever and never users was 173.36 and 292.65 per 100000 person-years in the original sample; and was 211.71 and 292.65, respectively, in the matched sample. The overall hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 0.586 (0.509-0.674) in the original sample and 0.717 (0.584-0.881) in the matched sample suggested a significantly lower risk among metformin users. Hazard ratios comparing the first (<22.60 months), second (22.60-46.67 months) and third (>46.67 months) tertile of cumulative duration of metformin use to never users was 1.163 (1.005-1.348), 0.612 (0.526-0.711) and 0.176 (0.148-0.210), respectively, in the original sample; and was 1.465 (1.131-1.897), 0.758 (0.566-1.016) and 0.228 (1.460-0.357) in the respective tertile of the matched sample. Sensitivity analyses after excluding patients with certain risk factors of cancer and subgroup analyses supported a favorable effect of metformin."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "In conclusion,metformin use may reduce lung cancer risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus."

For more information on this research see: Metformin and lung cancer risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Oncotarget, 2017;(): (see also Oncology - Cancer Risk).

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from C.H. Tseng, Dept. of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.

Keywords for this news article include: Asia, Taipei, Taiwan, Oncology, Metformin, Biguanides, Cancer Risk, Lung Cancer, Endocrinology, Lung Neoplasms, Type 2 Diabetes, Risk and Prevention, Glucose Metabolism Disorders, Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Endocrine System Diseases and Conditions, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases and Conditions.