Novel combination therapy with phenformin enhances the effects of lenvatinib in hepatocellular carcinoma via AMPK-mediated PDGFRβ degradation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an invasive malignant tumour for which few effective treatment options are currently available. Lenvatinib is a small-molecule inhibitor of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases used for the treatment of patients with advanced HCC. Although lenvatinib has been proven effective in treating HCC patients, clinical data show that the response rate to lenvatinib is very low and that 76% of HCC patients are insensitive to lenvatinib. Phenformin is a well-known activator of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which has recently attracted widespread attention because of its anticancer effects. We investigated whether phenformin could enhance the efficacy of lenvatinib in treating HCC and, if so, the underlying mechanisms involv

SUBMITTER: Li D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12534998 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature