Some Diabetes Medications May Help Tumors Spread In Mice, Research Suggests.

reports that when researchers “exposed lab dishes of human cancer cells (liver, breast, colon, ovarian) to the diabetes drugs sitagliptin...and saxagliptin...the cells migrated more.” Meanwhile, “when nine mice with human tumors were given either of the drugs, the cells metastasized more and invaded far-flung tissue, said senior author Hongting Zheng.” However, the medications did not increase “the risk of developing cancer. Antioxidants are typically recommended to prevent cancer, since they fight the free radicals that can trigger tumor growth. But in this case, say the study authors, the protection from further oxidative stress—which is what antioxidants do—may actually insulate cancer cells, making it easier for them to spread to other parts of the body. http://time.com/4292316/diabetes-dpp-4-cancer/