As the study showed, the common antidiabetic drug metformin gives hope as a means of preventing lung cancer in smokers, according to an online edition for girls and women from 14 to 35 years old Pannochka. Net The study revealed that metformin is able to "include" an enzyme that blocks mTOR receptors that promote the growth of tumors caused by smoking.

A group of scientists led by Dr. Philip Dennis of the National Cancer Institute of the United States investigated the effect of metformin in mice that were exposed to powerful carcinogens contained in tobacco - nitrosamines.

Metformin was given to the mice or administered parenterally. The first group developed by 40-50%, in the second group - by 72% less tumors than in the control group. Moreover, the data was so convincing that the researchers now intend to try the drug in public - in the hope that it will protect smokers from lung cancer.

"The best remedy for cancer is, of course, the cessation of smoking, but more than half of lung cancer cases are developed by former smokers," explains Dr Dennis. "Therefore, it is so important to learn how to identify people with the greatest risk and develop measures to prevent tumors in them".

Other studies have shown that metformin reduces the risk of cancer of the pancreas and mammary glands in patients with diabetes mellitus.

According to the WHO, tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. Annually smoking takes the lives of 5 million people dying of cancer, heart disease and lungs.

The results of the study are published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research (Cancer Prevention Research).

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