The effect of metformin on apoptosis in a breast cancer presurgical trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Metformin has been associated with antitumour activity in breast cancer (BC) but its mechanism remains unclear. We determined whether metformin induced a modulation of apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) overall and by insulin resistance status in a presurgical trial.

Methods

Apoptosis was analysed in core biopsies and in surgical samples from 100 non-diabetic BC patients participating in a randomised trial of metformin vs placebo given for 4 weeks before surgery.

Results

Eighty-seven subjects (45 on metformin and 42 on placebo) were assessable for TUNEL measurement at both time points. TUNEL levels at surgery were higher than that at baseline core biopsy (P<0.0001), although no difference between arms was note

SUBMITTER: Cazzaniga M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3844911 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature