They test a new medicine for diabetes against head and neck cancer in 2000 volunteers in a hospital in Brazil, the use of metformin (one of the most prescribed antidiabetic drugs in the world) was associated with a decreased risk of cancer head and neck.

The decrease was more pronounced, around 60%, among volunteers considered high risk for the disease: those who consumed more than 40 grams of alcohol per day and more than 40 cigarettes tied per year.

In the investigation, the carriers of the disease were divided into five subgroups: oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and oropharynx / hypopharynx not specified.

 Meanwhile, 1,063 participants without the disease were included in the control group, selected from people who visited patients hospitalized or who were in the health service for outpatient care in relation to conditions not related to cancer, such as such as skin diseases, urinary tract diseases, fractures or ophthalmological problems, for example.

In general, individuals with diabetes who used metformin had a 46% lower risk of developing head and neck cancer when compared to participants without diabetes. Among individuals with diabetes who did not use metformin, a decrease in risk was not statistically evidenced.

 Among people with high tobacco and alcohol consumption, those who were carriers of diabetes and used metformin were 69% less likely to develop cancer than individuals without diabetes.

These findings, the researcher said, indicate the need to carry out more in-depth studies on the action of metformin in head and neck cancer.

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