Cardiovasc Prev Pharmacother.  2023 Jul;5(3):91-97. 10.36011/cpp.2023.5.e12.

Correlation between metformin intake and prostate cancer

• Kim R
• Song M
• Shinn J
• Kim HS

• KMID: 2544632
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.36011/cpp.2023.5.e12

Abstract

Background
The relationship between metformin intake and prostate cancer incidence remains unclear. Therefore, we examined the correlation between prostate cancer and metformin use.
Methods
The subjects were diabetes patients aged ≥50 years who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and had undergone surgery at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. Groups taking metformin (MET(+) group) and not taking metformin (MET(–) group) were divided and compared.
Results
The mean preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the MET(–) and MET(+) groups were 10.7±11.9 and 8.0±5.6 ng/mL, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.387). The average prostate volume of the MET(–) group was 82.4±98.0 mL, and the average prostate volume of the MET(+) group was 55.4±20.1 mL, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.226). The mean PSA velocity also did not show a significant difference between the two groups (0.025±0.102 ng/mL vs. 0.005±0.012 ng/mL, P=0.221).
Conclusions
We did not identify a significant positive correlation between metformin and prostate cancer. However, preoperational PSA and PSA velocity tended to be lower in the MET(+) group. A sophisticated prospective study with a large sample size should be planned.

Keyword

Metformin; Prostate neoplasms; Diabetes mellitus

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Inclusion and exclusion of patients. MET(–), patients not taking metformin; MET(+), patients taking metformin.

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  Fig. 2. Differences in prostate variables according to the presence or absence of metformin intake. (A) The mean preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. (B) The average prostate volume. (C) The mean PSA velocity. MET(–), patients not taking metformin; MET(+), patients taking metformin.

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