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Prognosis of small cell lung cancer patients with diabetes treated with metformin

Xu T, Liang G, Yang L, Zhang F

Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico, 2015

79 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUNDS: It has been reported that metformin has an anticancer impact in various solid tumors, but its role in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of metformin on survival in diabetic SCLC patients.

METHODS: A total of 79 SCLC patients with diabetes treated in our hospital between 2000 and 2010 were enrolled. The clinicopathological data and survival time were collected and evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the association between metformin use and the survival of SCLC.

RESULTS: Among the 79 diabetic patients, 36 patients took metformin. The median OS and DFS were significantly better in the metformin group compared to non-metformin group (OS 18.0 vs 11.5 months, p < 0.001; DFS 10.8 vs 6.5 months, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that metformin use was an independent prognostic factor for long-term outcome (HR = 0.549, 95 % CI 0.198-0.978, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of SCLC patients with diabetes treated with metformin was improved, which might be considered a potential useful anticancer drug in treating SCLC patients.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 79 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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