Phase II Study of Metformin for Reduction of Obesity-Associated Breast Cancer Risk

Summary

Overweight and obesity are well established risk factors for breast cancer that develop after menopause. The increased postmenopausal breast cancer risk in women who are overweight or obese is likely to be attributed to multiple metabolic disturbances. Metformin is a commonly used medication in diabetics to stabilize blood sugar. Association studies and laboratory studies have shown its potential to reduce the risk for development of cancer, including breast cancer. Recent pilot clinical studies in breast cancer patients suggest that metformin may only be effective in overweight or obese women with metabolic disturbances. We propose to conduct a clinical study of metformin in overweight or obese premenopausal women with metabolic disturbances. Study participants will be randomly assigned to receive metformin or placebo for 12 months. The study will evaluate whether metformin can result in favorable changes in risk features that have been associated with increased breast cancer risk. The risk features that will be examined in our study include breast density, certain proteins and hormones, products of body metabolism, and body weight and composition. The study should help determine the potential breast cancer preventive activity of metformin in a growing population at risk for multiple diseases.

Timeline

Start

2014-03-07

Primary completion

2018-11-30

Completion

2022-06-14

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

paper Compared to placebo, metformin did not change percent breast density and dense breast volume PMID 34383179 ↗

Publications

• Tapia E, Villa-Guillen DE, Chalasani P, Centuori S, Roe DJ, Guillen-Rodriguez J, Huang C, Galons JP, Thomson CA, Altbach M, Trujillo J, Pinto L, Martinez JA, Algotar AM, Chow HS. A randomized controlled trial of metformin in women with components of metabolic syndrome: intervention feasibility and effects on adiposity and breast density. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2021 Nov;190(1):69-78. doi: 10.1007/s10549-021-06355-9. Epub 2021 Aug 12.
• Martinez JA, Chalasani P, Thomson CA, Roe D, Altbach M, Galons JP, Stopeck A, Thompson PA, Villa-Guillen DE, Chow HH. Phase II study of metformin for reduction of obesity-associated breast cancer risk: a randomized controlled trial protocol. BMC Cancer. 2016 Jul 19;16:500. doi: 10.1186/s12885-016-2551-3.

Drugs

Indications