Metformin Treatment After Heart Transplantation Is Associated with Reduced Malignancy Rate

Over the past decade survival and outcomes of heart transplantation (HT) recipients have markedly improved. Malignancy is causing significant morbidity and mortality after HT, with a rate of 2.6% for survivors of first year and up to 27.7% in 10 years survivors (all types combined). In addition, diabetes is a major cause for morbidity and affects 36.8% of 5 years survivors. Metformin is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide, and has been suggested to confer anti-tumor activity. Survival benefits of metformin have been demonstrated in a wide range of malignancies among them breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. In the present study we aimed to investigate the association between metformin therapy and malignancy following HT.