AMPK activation protects against prostate cancer by inducing a catabolic cellular state

Study provides strong evidence that AMPK activation protects against prostate cancer by inducing a catabolic cellular state. The central role of PGC-1α in mediating AMPK’s effects on metabolism, cell cycle progression, and lipid homeostasis is emphasized. The findings suggest that direct AMPK activators (like BI9774) or indirect activators (like metformin!?) could be used to slow or prevent prostate cancer progression. The reduction in inflammation, lipid storage, and cell invasiveness, combined with increased fatty acid oxidation, highlights a comprehensive tumor-suppressive effect.

Activation of AMP-activated Protein Kinase by Metformin Induces Protein Acetylation in Prostate and Ovarian Cancer Cells

This study shows that metformin prevents cancer by multiple mechanisms, including activating AMPK, increasing protein acetylation, and modulating gene expression. These effects promote cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and metabolic reprogramming, all of which are hallmarks of cancer suppression. This evidence provides a strong case for repurposing metformin as an anti-cancer therapy.

Metformin for prostate cancer prevention?

3 Likes

My dad was taking 2 g of Metformin daily and still got prostate cancer. It may have helped a bit. Who knows?

2 Likes

To properly beat prostate cancer I think the aging pathway needs be stabilised or reversed a bit.

1 Like

Once cancer has emerged, even young people can’t beat it on their own.

2 Likes

A lot comes round to what is the cause of cancer. Some cancers are mitochondrial diseases. I don’t know what proportion are as as far as I am personally concerned the key target is mitochondrial efficiency.

I think Professor Thomas Seyfried is right as to the metabolic causes of a number of cancers.

2 Likes

Cancers are also probabilistic in nature. Even assuming a perfect, non-aging human body, deadly cancers will eventually emerge due to random chance alone. Other creatures like elephants and naked mole rats have developed very effective tactics to suppress cancer but we humans don’t have those.

4 Likes

This all depends upon what you think causes cancer. Those which are metabolic in nature are probabilistic, but if you fix the metabolic problems you fix the cancer.

1 Like

Environmental radiation by itself can cause cells to undergo random mutations leading to cancer.

2 Likes

Are those nuclear DNA mutations or mitochondrial DNA mutations?

I am not arguing that all cancer results from mitochondrial problems, but a lot does.

2 Likes

It would be interesting to see effect of telmisartan + metformin on prostate cancer prevention…

  • Dual Approach for Prostate Cancer Prevention: Telmisartan and metformin activate AMPK from different upstream mechanisms (LKB1 and adiponectin), leading to stronger downstream inhibition of cancer growth pathways.

  • Adiponectin Is Key: Since adiponectin has been linked to reduced prostate cancer risk, and telmisartan increases adiponectin, it provides an additional pathway that metformin does not directly target.

3 Likes

I spoke with a longevity researcher at the recent Longevity Summit and he said there is a new study recently completed (not yet published) that showed extremely good results with rapamycin for cancer prevention. I don’t know the details, but will post when I hear more.

This researcher is also working on a new startup company that is focused on developing new drugs that help prevent double strand DNA breaks, and thus would be cancer prevention drugs (drugs you take prophetically to prevent DNA damage). And they have many drug candidates already… Lots of interesting things going on in this area.

10 Likes

As Matt Kaeberlein and Peter Attia state in a podcast on cancer… rapamycin is effective when cancer hasn’t started… through MTOR lowering it can clean out those cells.

However, once cancer starts… the cells stop playing by the rules of MTOR and is therefore hard to stop… you might slow it like Blagosklonny did… but not prevent the growth.

5 Likes

Drugs taken prophetically??? Is that an expression used in the specific field?

1 Like

Gotta love auto-correct! prophylactically.

3 Likes
1 Like

Is there a short summary of what he proposes?

1 Like

Avoid the typical cardiovascular health risks: smoking, get more exercise, be low/moderate weight, etc.

Increased fresh vegetable intake, less red meat.

Inflammation is a risk for prostate cancer - so work to keep inflammation low.
Tomato products (lycopene) seems to be good to help prevent prostate cancer and slow growth (best before tumor starts growing).
Broccoli, soy germ, also good and provide more synergistic benefits (mouse studies).

Soy, high in protein, and very complete for a plant protein. Iso-flavonoids.

5 Likes

This review includes a laundry list of possible treatments/preventions for prostate cancer. I haven’t read through it yet, hopefully there are good insights.

4 Likes

The state of the union for prostate cancer treatment. It briefly describes the currently available and under research treatment options.

5 Likes

The correction factor I have seen for those on Finasteride is double. Doctors typically account for this by doubling the PSA result for men on finasteride when evaluating the risk of prostate cancer. It’s important for anyone undergoing PSA testing to inform their healthcare provider if they are taking finasteride or a similar medication.

4 Likes