Type-2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, has afflicted thousands, if not millions, of people around the world. But thanks to modern medicine, a drug called metformin was created to control the effects of the disease. Now, new research shows that not only does metformin control a person's blood sugar, but it also prevents cancer from growing.

According to research, led by James Trosko, a professor in the College of Human Medicine's Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, along with colleagues from South Korea's Seoul National University, the inexpensive drug has shown to specifically prevent a number of natural and man-made chemicals from stimulating the growth of diabetes-associated cancers, like breast, liver, and pancreatic cancer.

Trosko pointed out that metformin has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes-associated cancers. However, there is still no evidence that it does work. To finally bury the hatchet on the issue of its cancer risk reduction potential, the researchers tested metformin out.

What the researchers did was to grow miniature human breast tumors in culture dishes. They then exposed it to natural estrogen, known growth factor and a potential breast tumor promoter, and man-made chemicals that also stimulate tumors or disrupt the endocrine system.

Under these parameters, the researchers saw an increase in the size of the breast tumor. But when metformin was introduced, the number and the size of the breast tumor was significantly reduced. The researchers noted that even with the chemicals stimulating the growth of the tumor, metformin seemed to stop this stimulation in all cases.

Trosko said that though the molecular mechanism of how it works still needs to be studied thoroughly, the drug does have dramatic effects on how estrogen and endocrine-disrupting chemicals cause breast-cancers to grow.

But aside from its cancer reducing properties, metformin possesses other benefits, according to eMedTV.com. Some of these benefits include:

- Helping with weight loss

- Lowering bad cholesterol

- Decreases miscarriages in women with PCOS

- Increases fertility in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

But even with its many benefits, it should still be remembered that before taking any drug, proper prescription or guidance must be observed because even metformin can be dangerous for others. According to Drugs.com, some people can develop a life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis, wherein the body's tissues and blood have a low pH, when taking metformin.