Effect of Metformin on Progression of Head and Neck Cancers, Occurrence of Second Primary Cancers, and Cause-Specific Survival. (23rd March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kwon, Minsu; Roh, Jong-Lyel; Song, Jihyun; Lee, Sang-Wook; Kim, Sung-Bae; Choi, Seung-Ho; Nam, Soon Yuhl
• Is Part Of: Oncologist. Volume 20:Number 5(2015)
• Page Start: 546
• Page End: 553
• Publication Date: 2015-03-23
• Subjects: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma -- Metformin -- Recurrence -- Second primary cancer -- Survival; Oncology -- Periodicals; Tumors -- Periodicals; Cancérologie -- Périodiques; Tumeurs -- Périodiques; Oncology; Tumors; Neoplasms; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2014-0426
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1083-7159

Abstract

Abstract: Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of metformin on progression of head and neck cancers, occurrence of second primary cancers, and cause-specific survival. Methods: This study analyzed a retrospective cohort of 1, 151 consecutive patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who were treated at our hospital. Patients were divided into three groups: nondiabetic, nonmetformin, and metformin. Clinical characteristics, recurrence of index head and neck cancer, occurrence of second primary cancer, and survival were compared among the different groups. Results: Of 1, 151 patients, 99 (8.6%) were included in the metformin group, 79 (6.8%) were in the nonmetformin group, and 973 (84.5%) were in the nondiabetic group. Diabetic status and metformin exposure had no significant impact on index head and neck cancer recurrence or second primary cancer development ( p > .2). The nonmetformin group showed relatively lower overall ( p = .017) and cancer-specific ( p = .054) survival rates than the other groups in univariate analyses, but these results were not confirmed in multivariate analyses. Conclusion: Metformin use did not show beneficial effects on index tumor progression, second primary cancer occurrence, and cause-specific survival in patients with head and neck cancer compared with nonmetformin users and nondiabetic patients. Abstract : This study aimed to investigate the effect of metformin on progression of head and neck cancers (HNC), occurrence of second primary cancers, and cause-specific survival. Results showed that metformin did not significantly affect the clinical course of patients with HNC but suggested that diabetes had a crucial impact on the clinical course of patients with HNC who were not overcome by metformin use.