Takeaway
- In patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metformin use was not associated with overall survival, recurrence-free survival, disease-specific survival, local control, regional control or distant control overall or within any sub-site.
Why this matters
- Findings suggest metformin may not be useful in patients with HNSCC overall or by sub-site.
Study design
- This retrospective study included 329 patients (metformin users, n=195; non-metformin users, n=134) with HNSCC and T2DM.
- Outcomes: overall survival, recurrence-free survival and disease-specific survival at 5 years.
- Funding: None.
Key results
- Metformin use was significantly not associated with improved:
- local control (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.63-2.02; P=.68),
- regional control (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.36-1.69; P=.54), or
- distant control (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.49-2.24; P=.9).
- No significant difference was observed between metformin users and non-metformin group in:
- overall survival (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.72-1.5; P=.83),
- recurrence-free survival (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.66-1.62; P=.88), and
- disease-specific survival (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.68-1.98; P=.58).
Limitations
- Retrospective design.
- Risk for confounders.
References
References