Diabetes Drug Metformin May Have Another Use: Protecting Against Skin Cancer
Source: AJMC, January 2025
However, metformin did not protect Black patients against squamous cell carcinoma specifically.
Metformin, a widely prescribed medication for type 2 diabetes, may help protect individuals from the 2 most common types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).1 These findings were published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.
“This study strengthens the evidence supporting metformin’s potential as a protective agent against non-melanoma skin cancer, especially after adjusting for medications associated with increased risk of skin cancer,” the research authors said.