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Metformin for non-small cell lung cancer patients: Opportunities and pitfalls

Antonin Levy1, Jérôme Doyen2

  • 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut d'Oncologie Thoracique (IOT), Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, F-94805, Villejuif, France; Univ Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, F-94270, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, F-94805, Villejuif, France.

Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
|April 14, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Metformin, an antidiabetic drug, shows promise in fighting non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Research explores its potential to improve outcomes when combined with standard NSCLC treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mortality remains high despite recent treatment advances.
  • Repurposing existing drugs like metformin offers a cost-effective strategy for cancer therapy.
  • Observational data and preclinical studies suggest metformin possesses anticancer properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the potential benefits and limitations of using metformin as an adjunct anticancer agent in NSCLC.
  • To examine metformin's effects on cancer metabolism and the tumor immune microenvironment.
  • To assess the evidence for metformin's synergistic effects with standard NSCLC therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of observational data and preclinical research on metformin's anticancer effects.
  • Analysis of retrospective studies on metformin use in NSCLC patients undergoing various treatments.
  • Consideration of ongoing prospective randomized trials evaluating metformin in NSCLC.

Main Results:

  • Metformin demonstrates anticancer effects by influencing glycolytic metabolism and the tumor immune microenvironment.
  • Retrospective studies suggest improved outcomes for diabetic NSCLC patients treated with metformin alongside chemotherapy or targeted agents.
  • Preclinical models show synergistic activity between metformin and antitumoral agents.

Conclusions:

  • Metformin shows promise as a repurposed drug to enhance NSCLC treatment efficacy.
  • Further investigation through prospective trials is warranted to confirm metformin's benefits in non-diabetic NSCLC patients.
  • Concurrent use of metformin with standard NSCLC therapies requires careful evaluation of its potential limitations.
Keywords:
BiguanideIrradiationRadiotherapyTargeted therapyThoracic oncology

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