Metformin Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study of the effect of concurrent exposure to metformin on survival from melanoma in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
IRAS ID
159916
Contact name
Julia Newton-Bishop
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Cancer patients are often prescribed drugs intended to treat incidental medical conditions. These drugs may have unexpected effects on host-tumour interaction and therefore survival. It is possible that some of those effects might be beneficial, and some harmful (leading to an increased death rate).
This project will link Cancer Registry and Hospital Episode StatisticS (HES), Leeds Teaching Hospital digital record (PPM)and records of drugs prescribed in general practice provided by SystemOne (ResearchOne) in order to trace melanoma patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this project is to ascertain whether there is any evidence of an effect of drug intake on survival across melanoma population with type 2 diabetes.
The published data suggests that the prognosis for cancer patients with concurrent diabetes overall is worse that for non-diabetics but that prognosis is improved by exposure to metformin. For the melanoma patients this situation is hypothesised to be more complex. Laboratory results have suggested that exposure to metformin would be beneficial if the tumour has a somatic mutation in the oncogene NRAS or with no identifiable mutation but the prognosis would be worse for patients who have a BRAF mutation. The study will therefore inform advice to diabetic patients diagnosed with melanoma in the future as to whether they should continue use of Metformin or change their medication.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/YH/0064
Date of REC Opinion
11 May 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion