How diabetes medications may affect cancer risk and disease progression

How diabetes medications may affect cancer risk and disease progression

Effects of diabetes medications on cancer

Diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes (T2DM), is associated with an increased risk of several types of cancer, including liver, colon and breast cancer. While blood sugar control and weight management are critical to treating diabetes, new evidence suggests that these factors alone are not enough to explain the full extent of cancer risk. This has sparked research into how diabetes drugs could potentially affect cancer beyond their role in controlling blood sugar levels and body weight. The goal of this research is to better understand how these drugs might provide potential benefits or risks related to cancer prevention and treatment. Given these challenges, further studies are needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms.

Important research results

Published on December 10, 2025 inPrecision Clinical Medicine, this review examines the effects of diabetes medications on cancer, going beyond the traditional focus on glycemic control and weight management. The research, conducted by experts at Peking University People's Hospital, analyzes how drugs such as metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists could alter cancer progression through various biological pathways. These findings provide new insights into the complex relationship between diabetes treatments and cancer outcomes.

Mechanisms of medication

The review systematically examines the preclinical and clinical evidence supporting the association between diabetes medications and cancer. Metformin, one of the most commonly used diabetes medications, has been shown to affect cancer through various mechanisms. This includes:

• Steigerung der Immunität gegen Krebs
• Hemmung des Tumorwachstums durch Beeinflussung der Tumormikroumgebung
• Änderung der Aktivität von Krebswegen wie AMPK, mTOR und PI3K/AKT, die an Zellvermehrung, Zelltod (Apoptose) und Neubildung von Blutgefäßen (Angiogenese) beteiligt sind

Similarly, other drugs such as SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists have also shown potential to alter cancer cell growth, reduce inflammation, and promote apoptosis. However, the effects vary depending on the type of cancer and the specific drug used. While metformin has shown promising results in reducing the risk of colon and liver cancer, its effects on breast cancer are still unclear.

Personal medicine and future research

Dr. Linong Ji, one of the leading researchers in the field, explains: “Although diabetes medications are critical for treating diabetes, their broader effects on cancer are not yet fully understood. This review highlights the complex mechanisms by which these drugs may influence cancer progression. The evidence is mixed, and we need to continue to study the long-term effects of these drugs in cancer patients, as well as explore the potential to develop targeted therapies based on these findings.“

The results of this review highlight the importance of personalized medicine in the treatment of diabetic patients with cancer. A better understanding of how diabetes medications affect cancer progression could lead to better tailored treatments that improve both cancer prevention and patient outcomes. This research also paves the way for future clinical trials that examine how existing drugs can be optimized for cancer treatment or used as adjuncts to conventional therapies. The role of drugs such as metformin in cancer prevention could also guide public health strategies, particularly in the management of diabetes and related diseases in populations at higher risk for cancer.

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