The impact of metformin use in colorectal cancer: an integrative review

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of using metformin as an antioncogenic drug in colorectal cancer. Methods: This work is an integrative review based on the careful selection of articles on the impact of metformin on colorectal cancer published in the last 10 years in Pubmed and BVS databases with the combination of descriptors "metformin", "colorectal cancer", “colon cancer” and “rectal cancer”. Results: Six articles (100%) on the subject were found, analyzed and described, with 4 (67%) being randomized clinical studies and 2 (33%) controlled clinical studies. It was found that metformin can impact colorectal cancer in two distinct but not exclusive ways, acting as a chemotherapy, mainly adjuvant chemotherapy to other chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer or as a chemoprevention of colorectal cancer. Final considerations: The findings show that, despite few divergences, metformin can play an important role as an antioncogenic drug acting both in the prevention and in the adjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer, but the studies are initial and few, requiring further clinical studies for greater reliability and use in clinical practice.