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Abstract
Background/aim: This study examined whether metformin can enhance the radiation response in a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) xenograft mice model and patient population.

Materials and methods: Huh-7 human HCC-bearing xenograft mice were treated with gamma-ray, metformin, neutron therapy, and their combinations. Tumour growth and lung colonies were assessed. Overall, 145 patients who underwent radiotherapy for HCC were retrospectively analysed.

Results: The combinations of gamma-ray and metformin and neutron radiation and metformin inhibited tumour growth and metastatic lung nodule formation when compared to the monotherapy and gamma-ray groups, respectively. In patients who received radiotherapy for HCC, the overall survival rate was higher in the metformin-treated group than in the non-metformin group.

Conclusion: Metformin inhibited tumour growth and metastasis in HCC by enhancing the radiation response in animal experiments. Additionally, metformin was also found to be associated with a higher survival outcome in patients with HCC.

Affiliations

Won Il Jang  1   2 , Mi-Sook Kim  3 , Jae-Hoon Jeong  4 , Wonwoo Kim  5 , Jae Sung Kim  2   6
1 Department of Radiation Oncology, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
2 Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
3 Department of Radiation Oncology, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea; mskim@kirams.re.kr wwkim@enzychem.com.
4 Applied Cancer Research Team, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
5 R&D Center, Enzychem Lifesciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea; mskim@kirams.re.kr wwkim@enzychem.com.
6 Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.