Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Metformin and cancer.

Natalia G Vallianou1, Angelos Evangelopoulos2, Christos Kazazis3

  • 1First Department of Internal Medicine, Evangelismos General Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece.

The Review of Diabetic Studies : RDS
|May 21, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Metformin shows anti-cancer potential by activating LKB1/AMPK signaling, inhibiting tumor growth, and preventing recurrence, especially when combined with doxorubicin. Further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in vivo.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

From the Vitamin D Paradox to Precision Nutrition: Targeted Supplementation, Assay Pitfalls, and Clinical Decision-Making.

Current nutrition reports·2026
Same author

Revisiting the Lipid-Cancer Axis: PCSK9, ANGPTL3, and CETP as Emerging Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Oncology.

Biomolecules·2026
Same author

Hormonal, metabolic and metabolomic biomarkers in long COVID.

Advances in clinical chemistry·2026
Same author

Ultra-Processed Foods and Chronic Kidney Disease: Is Inflammaging the Missing Link?

Biomolecules·2026
Same author

Unravelling Sarcopenia in Chronic Kidney Disease: From Pathogenesis to Diagnosis and Therapeutics.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

Vitamin D and Health Outcomes: State-of-the-Art Review of Triangulated Evidence and Ongoing Controversies.

Current nutrition reports·2026

Area of Science:

  • Cellular metabolism and cancer biology.
  • Molecular mechanisms of drug action in oncology.

Background:

  • Metformin, an anti-diabetic drug, exhibits potential anti-cancer properties.
  • Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key cellular energy sensor.
  • LKB1 serine/threonine kinase is essential for AMPK activation and acts as a tumor suppressor.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of LKB1/AMPK signaling in cancer.
  • To assess the anti-cancer effectiveness of metformin, particularly in combination therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current knowledge on LKB1/AMPK signaling pathways.
  • Analysis of in vitro studies demonstrating metformin's effects on various cancer cell lines.
  • Evaluation of in vivo studies using metformin and doxorubicin in mouse models.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • LKB1/AMPK signaling regulates cellular energy balance and apoptosis, with LKB1 acting as a tumor suppressor.
  • Metformin demonstrated anti-cancer effects in vitro across multiple cancer types.
  • In vivo, metformin combined with doxorubicin eradicated tumors and prevented recurrence in mice, outperforming single-agent treatments.

Conclusions:

  • LKB1/AMPK pathway activation is crucial for cellular homeostasis and tumor suppression.
  • Metformin shows significant promise as an anti-cancer agent, particularly in combination therapy.
  • Further in vivo studies are warranted to fully elucidate metformin's anti-cancer potential.