Concerning Metformin and Kidney cancer

[JohnEGreen]

I just wondered as metformin can be contra indicated for those with CKD would that also be true with cancer of the Kidney.?

More specifically is it ok for someone with a cancerous kidney to be taking say 2000mg of metformin a day.?

I know we have restrictions on advice regarding meds here but am asking more as a general question.

 

[Boo1979]

I would guess that it would depend on the grade, pecise location within the kidney and subtype of the cancer - I would take the opinion of a nephrologist and cancer doctor.
Edited to add - these came up on a search with Dr Google, as did some others indicating metformin as a decreased risk factor for kidney cancer
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5443884/
https://www.renalandurologynews.com...tter-mortality-with-metformin/article/643814/

 

[JohnEGreen]

I had a discussion with my GP about metformin not long ago he said at that time as my eGFR was at fifty and that with the NICE guidelines having been relaxed somewhat that my dose of 500 mg was low enough as to be not too bad. but if my eGFR was to drop again to forty or lower then the risk would be too great and he would discontinue the metformin.

But to be honest I had no idea if the same stress would be placed on a cancerous kidney or not by metformin at a relatively high dose.

Edit meant to add the fact that the metformin may have beneficial effect on the out come of renal cancers is encouraging.

Though for the person I had in mind the only treatment being proposed is removal of the kidney in it's entirety.