Your Diabetes Medication Might Be Fighting Cancer Too—Here's What Researchers Just Discovered

Millions of people take diabetes medications every day to manage their blood sugar, but researchers have just uncovered something surprising: these same drugs might also be influencing how cancer grows and spreads. A comprehensive review published in December 2025 examined how widely used diabetes treatments—including metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors, and GLP-1 receptor agonists—may affect cancer through multiple biological pathways beyond simply controlling glucose levels and body weight.

How Can Diabetes Drugs Influence Cancer Risk?

For years, scientists knew that type 2 diabetes itself was linked to higher cancer risk, particularly for liver, colorectal, and breast cancers. But the connection wasn't fully understood. Now, researchers are investigating whether the medications used to treat diabetes play a direct role in cancer development or prevention—separate from their effects on blood sugar management.

The review, led by researchers at Peking University People's Hospital and published in Precision Clinical Medicine, examined how anti-diabetic medications interact with cancer biology at the cellular level. Rather than focusing solely on glucose control and weight management, the study explored how these drugs influence immune function, inflammation, and tumor growth through specific molecular pathways.

What Do the Studies Show About Specific Diabetes Medications?

Different diabetes drugs appear to affect cancer in distinct ways. The research identified several key mechanisms through which these medications may influence cancer progression:

• Metformin Effects: This widely prescribed diabetes drug appears to strengthen the body's anti-cancer immune responses and slow tumor growth by altering the tumor microenvironment—the tissue surrounding cancer cells. Metformin also influences major cellular pathways such as AMPK, mTOR, and PI3K/AKT, which regulate cell growth, cell death, and the formation of new blood vessels.
• SGLT2 Inhibitors: These medications have been associated with changes in cancer cell growth, reduced inflammation, and increased apoptosis—the process by which cancer cells self-destruct.
• GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Similar to SGLT2 inhibitors, these drugs show potential effects on cancer cell growth and inflammatory responses, though the impact varies across different cancer types.

However, the evidence is not uniform across all cancers or medications. For example, metformin has shown encouraging results in lowering the risk of colorectal and liver cancers, while its role in breast cancer remains unclear. This variability highlights why more clinical trials are essential to confirm these findings and understand how different medications work in different cancer contexts.

What Questions Still Need Answers?

Despite these promising findings, significant gaps remain in our understanding. "While anti-diabetic medications are crucial in managing diabetes, their broader effects on cancer are still not fully understood. This review sheds light on the intricate mechanisms through which these drugs may influence cancer progression. However, the evidence is mixed, and we must continue to investigate the long-term impacts of these medications in cancer patients, as well as the potential for developing targeted therapies based on these findings," explains Dr. Linong Ji, a leading researcher in this field.

The mixed evidence means that doctors cannot yet recommend diabetes medications specifically for cancer prevention. Instead, the focus remains on managing blood sugar and body weight—which are proven to reduce cancer risk—while researchers continue investigating how these medications might play a secondary role.

What Could This Mean for Personalized Treatment?

One of the most exciting implications of this research is the potential for more personalized medicine. As scientists better understand how specific diabetes drugs affect cancer, doctors may eventually be able to tailor treatments more effectively for patients who have both conditions. This could improve prevention strategies and overall patient outcomes.

The findings also support the need for future clinical trials to test whether existing diabetes medications might be refined for cancer therapy or used alongside standard cancer treatments. Additionally, insights into drugs like metformin could guide public health efforts, especially for populations facing higher risks of both diabetes and cancer.

For now, the takeaway is clear: if you have diabetes and are taking medication to manage your blood sugar, continue following your doctor's treatment plan. The cancer-fighting potential of these drugs is still being explored, but the proven benefits of controlling blood glucose and maintaining a healthy weight remain your best defense against both diabetes complications and cancer risk.