Metformin Plus Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Treatment of Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer With EGFR Mutations

Lung cancer is the most common neoplastic disease globally, with over 2 million new cases annually, accounting for 11.6% of all cancer diagnoses. It remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) makes up 80-85% of lung cancer cases, with most patients diagnosed at an advanced stage. Five-year survival rates are low, ranging from 8-18% worldwide. Advances in molecular biology have led to the identification of therapeutic targets in NSCLC. One of the most studied is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a key regulator of tumor cell functions and a focus of targeted therapy development. EGFR mutations occur in about 15% of NSCLC cases globally but reach up to 34% in Mexico. Patients with these mutations are treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which improve response rates and progression-free survival (PFS) over chemotherapy. However, resistance to TKIs typically develops, prompting the need for strategies to overcome this challenge and extend PFS. Up to 30% of NSCLC patients have somatic mutations in the liver kinase B1 (LKB1) gene, a tumor suppressor that inhibits mTOR. In one study, 24 patients with LKB1 expression treated with metformin plus TKIs showed significantly improved overall survival. LKB1 activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which regulates cell cycle and survival in NSCLC. Loss of LKB1 reduces AMPK activation and increases tumor necrosis following bevacizumab treatment. A study of 99 NSCLC samples linked high AMPK expression to poorer survival, though its role in metformin response is unclear. Metformin, a biguanide used for type 2 diabetes, has shown anticancer properties. Studies suggest metformin reduces cancer incidence and mortality. In vitro, it induces G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and counters TKI resistance due to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Retrospective studies support its benefit in NSCLC, and prospective trials of metformin plus TKIs have yielded mixed results. This phase 3 randomized study aims to evaluate PFS in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations treated with TKIs plus placebo versus TKIs plus metformin.

NCT Number	NCT05445791
Lead Sponsor	Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia de Mexico
Conditions	Non Small Cell Lung Cancer
Enrollment	312 participants
Start Date	2021-07-15
Primary Completion	2026-07-14 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-07-14 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-04-09