Cheap diabetes drug taken by millions of Britons could protect against deadly cancer
A diabetes drug which costs just 35p per pill could help prevent an aggressive form of blood cancer, according to University of Cambridge researchers.
Scientists have found that metformin helps prevent acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a deadly blood cancer that kills about four out of five patients within five years of diagnosis.
Their research focused on a mutation in a gene called DNMT3A – thought to be responsible for up to one in six cases of AML.
Metformin is believed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells with this faulty gene.
And while those at increased risk can be identified through genetic screening, there is currently no treatment to stop the disease from developing.
Some 3.6 million patients were prescribed antidiabetic drugs like metformin in 2023/24
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Lab experiments on mice showed the drug slowed the growth of faulty blood cells, with further tests on human tissue delivering the same result.
The researchers then examined the health records of more than 400,000 people.
They found those taking metformin were less likely to have changes in their DNMT3A gene, which backs up their findings.
Their results, published in the journal Nature, now offer hope for a low-cost preventative treatment.
Professor George Vassiliou, an expert in blood health from Cambridge and an author of the study, said: “Blood cancer poses unique challenges compared to solid cancers like breast or prostate, which can be surgically removed if identified early.
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Lab experiments on mice showed the drug slowed the growth of faulty blood cells – with further tests on human tissue delivering the same result
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“With blood cancers, we need to identify people at risk and then use medical treatments to stop cancer progression throughout the body.”
Dr Rubina Ahmed, director of research at Blood Cancer UK, which part-funded the work, highlighted the potential benefits of using existing medications.
“Repurposing safe, widely available drugs like metformin means we could potentially get new treatments to people faster, without the need for lengthy drug development pipeline,” she said.
About 3,100 people are diagnosed with AML each year in the UK.
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Scientists have found that metformin helps prevent acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a deadly blood cancer that kills about four out of five patients within five years
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Symptoms include fatigue, high temperature, repeated infections, bruising, bleeding easily, breathlessness, weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, bone pain, stomach pain and looking pale – but at present, treatment mainly consists of chemotherapy.
The researchers are already preparing clinical trials on patients identified as having DNMT3A gene changes that increase their AML risk.
The latest NHS data shows about 3.6 million patients were prescribed antidiabetic drugs like metformin in 2023/24.
In England last year, 26 million metformin prescriptions were issued at a cost of £82 million, working out to about 35p per pill.
Metformin is typically taken as a standard tablet up to four times daily or as a stronger slow-release tablet.
It helps diabetes patients by improving how the body handles insulin, bringing high blood sugar under control.