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Therapeutic potential of the anti‐diabetic agent metformin in targeting the skin cancer stem cell diaspora
Author(s) -
Reddi Anand,
Powers Matthew A.,
Dellavalle Robert P.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/exd.12349
Subject(s) - metformin , medicine , skin cancer , melanoma , cancer , cancer stem cell , metastasis , oncology , cancer research , diabetes mellitus , endocrinology
Type II diabetes is associated with increased prevalence of cancer including both melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma ( SCC ) of the skin. Emerging evidence from epidemiological studies suggest that diabetic patients on metformin have a lower risk of cancer incidence and mortality in a broad range of neoplasms. In both melanoma and SCC , populations of cancer stem cells ( CSC ) contribute to tumor initiation and metastasis. We propose that metformin constitutes a new class of targeted therapy that acts on the skin CSC diaspora. We posit that metformin selectively and simultaneously targets CSC s of the primary tumor as well as in metastatic niches thereby disrupting the dynamic dispersal of circulating CSC s between the primary tumor and metastatic site. This hypothesis suggests a new concept in dermato‐oncology that treatment of type II diabetes and prevention of skin cancer are two sides of the same coin.