Prospective Translational Study of Metformin in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Matthew Smith, MD, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital

Recent population-based studies have shown that type 2 diabetic men treated with Metformin, a medicine that lowers insulin levels in blood, have lower prostate cancer incidence and improved prostate cancer specific outcomes. These findings provoked the hypothesis that higher insulin levels promote prostate cancer growth. Dr. Smith and colleagues propose to investigate the efficacy of Metformin in a prospective clinical trial for patients with progressive prostate cancer who have failed hormonal therapy. During this clinical study the investigators will monitor changes in the metabolic profile (a catalogue of hormones and chemical byproducts indicative of cellular processes) of patients’ blood and correlate results with clinical response. This study will provide essential information on the anti-tumor effects of Metformin and may credential Metformin as a new agent for prostate cancer therapy.