The effect of metformin when combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients

Metformin has been used to treat type 2 Diabetes Mellitus since long time. It has two proposed anti-neoplastic mechanisms, direct (insulin-independent) and indirect (insulin-dependent) actions. To assess the effect of Metformin on pathological response when combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. A prospective study included stage II, III non-diabetic breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy in our center during the period from May 2017 to March 2019. 59 patients met our inclusion criteria and completed the study, 27 patients received 850 mg Metformin every 12 h with chemotherapy (group A), and 32 patients received chemotherapy without Metformin (group B). Pathological response was assessed by Chevallier classification and residual cancer burden score (RCB). Both groups were well balanced regarding baseline characteristics. The results of our study showed that the rate of pathological complete response (pCR) was 14.8% in group (A) vs. 6.3% in group (B) with a P value of 0.39. RCB class 3 was 40.7% in group (A) vs. 68.8% in group (B) which was statistically significant with a (P value of 0.031). Patients with triple-positive histology who had RCB class 3 were only (14.3%) in group (A) versus (60%) in group B. Patients with body mass index (BMI) >= 25 who had RCB 3 were 40% and 66.7% in group (A) and (B), respectively. Metformin may increase the pCR especially in patients with BMI >= 25 and patients with triple-positive histology, a larger phase III study is needed to confirm this finding.

Automated summary

Metformin was evaluated for its effect on pathological response in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The results showed no significant difference in pathological complete response rate between the group receiving Metformin and the group without Metformin, but a lower proportion of patients in the Metformin group had a high residual cancer burden score. The study suggests that Metformin may increase pathological complete response, especially in patients with a BMI >= 25 and patients with triple-positive histology.