Metformin, a widely used medication for managing type 2 diabetes, might also offer promising benefits for lung cancer patients, particularly those who are overweight or obese. According to new research led by Dr Sai Yendamuri, director of thoracic surgery at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, N.Y., the drug could enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy treatments in combating lung tumours.

However, the benefits appear to be limited to a specific group of patients.

"Our work shows that the anticancer effect of metformin is active only in the context of obesity,” Yendamuri explained in a Roswell news release. “We observed longer recurrence-free survival in overweight patients who took metformin and underwent surgery.”

The findings, recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, could have significant implications for lung cancer treatment.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with nearly 235,000 new cases and over 125,000 deaths annually, according to the American Cancer Society.

Earlier studies suggested metformin might have anti-cancer properties, but clinical trials failed to confirm these benefits. Dr. Yendamuri hypothesized that the drug’s effectiveness might depend on a patient’s weight, particularly in those classified as overweight or obese.

To test this theory, researchers analyzed two groups of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of lung cancer:

- Surgery group: 511 overweight patients (BMI ≥ 25) and 232 non-overweight patients (BMI < 25).

- Immunotherapy group: 284 overweight and 184 non-overweight patients who received immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy.

The results revealed that overweight patients who took metformin experienced improved recurrence-free survival following surgery. In mouse studies, metformin appeared to counteract obesity-related damage to the immune system, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of immune-based cancer treatments.

These findings could lead to more tailored treatment strategies for lung cancer patients, particularly those battling obesity. “By calling attention to the potential of metformin-containing treatment regimens to improve clinical outcomes for obese and overweight patients, we hope to inspire future studies,” said co-author Joseph Barbi, an assistant professor of oncology in Roswell Park’s Department of Immunology.

Barbi and Yendamuri are planning clinical trials to explore whether metformin can prevent lung cancer in high-risk, overweight individuals.

“Metformin has been used for 30 years and has a long record of safety — and it’s one of the most widely accessible and affordable drugs of any kind,” Yendamuri noted. “If we can repurpose it to fight cancer, that’s very exciting.”

This research shows the potential for existing medications to be repurposed for new therapeutic applications, offering hope for more effective and accessible lung cancer treatments, especially for patients with obesity.

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Health and around the world.