hands holding breast cancer pink paper ribbon
Pharma News

The Role of Metformin in Gastric Cancer Treatment

Role of Metformin in Gastric Cancer: While Metformin is primarily known as an antidiabetic drug, its role in cancer treatment has been a subject of extensive research. However, recent studies have not specifically focused on its impact on gastric cancer, leaving a gap in our understanding of its potential benefits or drawbacks in this context. This article aims to shed light on the current state of research regarding the use of Metformin in gastric cancer treatment.

The Role of Metformin in Gastric Cancer Treatment
Photo by Ave Calvar Martinez on Pexels.com

The Role of Metformin in Gastric Cancer Treatment

The Current Landscape of Gastric Cancer Research

  • The Update: Rich DiPaolo, Ph.D., professor and interim chair in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine, is the principal investigator on a four-year $2.2 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The grant aims to investigate whether autoimmune gastritis is a contributing factor for gastric cancer to justify earlier routine screenings in the U.S. and test new therapeutics.
  • Deep Dive: DiPaolo’s lab was the first to use single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq), which allows researchers to understand the similarities and differences of each cell within a field of precancerous lesions from other cells. His team found that precancerous cells have a unique transcriptional profile before they become gastric cancer.
  • Implications: This work could lead to targeted screening, earlier diagnosis, and increased survival of patients with gastric cancer.
  • Source: SLU School of Medicine

Imfinzi-Chemo Combo in Gastric Cancer

  • The Update: A pre-planned interim analysis of the ongoing phase 3 MATTERHORN study showed that Imfinzi (durvalumab) plus a chemotherapy regimen known as “FLOT” outperformed placebo plus FLOT for patients with resectable gastric cancer.
  • Deep Dive: According to study findings, patients in the Imfinzi arm experienced a pathologic complete response rate of 19% compared with 7% among those in the placebo arm.
  • Implications: This study suggests that chemotherapy combinations are still a vital area of research in gastric cancer treatment.

The Missing Link: Metformin in Gastric Cancer

  • The Update: While Metformin has shown promise in treating various types of cancer, including breast and pancreatic cancer, its role in gastric cancer remains underexplored.
  • Deep Dive: Metformin’s primary mechanism of action is to decrease hepatic glucose production and increase insulin sensitivity. However, it also has been found to inhibit the mTOR pathway, a central regulator of cell metabolism, survival, and growth, thereby showing potential anti-cancer properties.
  • Implications: Given the current advancements in gastric cancer research, there is a pressing need for studies that focus on the role of Metformin in this specific type of cancer. Such studies could open new avenues for treatment and possibly improve patient outcomes.

The Pharmacological Basis: How Metformin Works

  • Mechanism of Action: Metformin primarily acts by decreasing hepatic glucose production and increasing insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues. However, its role in cancer treatment is thought to be mediated through its ability to inhibit the mTOR pathway, a central regulator of cell metabolism, survival, and growth.
  • Implications: The mTOR pathway is often dysregulated in various cancers, including gastric cancer. Therefore, Metformin’s ability to inhibit this pathway could make it a potential candidate for gastric cancer treatment.

The Gap: Metformin in Gastric Cancer

  • Current Status: Despite the promising results in other types of cancer, there is a noticeable lack of research focusing on Metformin’s role in gastric cancer.
  • Potential Research Avenues:
    1. Investigating Metformin’s effect on mTOR pathway inhibition in gastric cancer cells.
    2. Clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of Metformin in combination with existing chemotherapy regimens for gastric cancer.
    3. Studies to understand the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Metformin in the context of gastric cancer.
  • Implications: Filling this research gap could lead to more effective and less toxic treatment options for gastric cancer patients.

While the current landscape of gastric cancer research is promising, the role of Metformin in this context remains a gap that needs to be filled. As researchers continue to explore new treatment modalities, it is crucial to investigate the potential benefits or drawbacks of using Metformin in gastric cancer treatment.