Chetan Vinay Deshmukh¹, Arun Suresh Dodamani², Vibhuti Dilip Mistry³*, Shivani Sanjay Ahirrao⁴, Dr. Mayuri Bhikaji Nepale⁵ and Snehal Sakharam Patil⁶

¹Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai and Ph.D. Scholar, Public Health Dentistry, ACPM Dental College, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, Maharashtra, India
²Principal, Professor and Head and Ph.D. Guide, Department of Public Health Dentistry, JMF’s ACPM Dental College, Dhule, India
³Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontology, JMF’s ACPM Dental college, Dhule, Maharashtra, India
⁴Postgraduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, JMF’s ACPM Dental College, Dhule, India
⁵Independent Researcher, Public Health Dentistry, India
⁶Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Rural Dental College, Pravara Insitute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University), Loni, India

*Corresponding Author: Vibhuti Dilip Mistry, Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontology, JMF’s ACPM Dental college, Dhule, Maharashtra, India.

Received: September 26, 2025; Published: October 23, 2025

Abstract

Oral cancer and diabetes mellitus are major global health concerns, with emerging evidence suggesting that anti-diabetic therapies may influence carcinogenesis. This review synthesises current evidence on the role of anti-diabetic drugs in modulating oral cancer risk. Metformin demonstrates consistent protective effects through activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In contrast, sulfonylureas and insulin may increase cancer risk via hyperinsulinemia and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 signalling. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) and incretin-based therapies show mixed or inconclusive results. Although meta-analyses support drug-specific variability in cancer risk, oral cancer-specific data remain limited. Understanding these associations is critical for tailoring therapy in diabetic patients with elevated oral cancer risk.

Keywords: Oral Cancer; Diabetes Mellitus; Metformin; Anti-Diabetic Drugs; Carcinogenesis

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Citation

Citation: Vibhuti Dilip Mistry. “Role of Anti-Diabetic Medications in Modulating Oral Cancer Risk: A Narrative Review of Current Evidence".Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 9.11 (2025): 33-36.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Vibhuti Dilip Mistry. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.