Synergistic effect of metformin and EGFR-TKI in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

In recent years, the incidence of lung cancer has been increasing, and lung cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related death. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 85% of all lung cancers. Platinum-containing chemotherapy is the first-line treatment for advanced patients. For patients with epidermal growth factor receptor () mutation, EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is the best treatment choice. In studies, these patients have initially shown excellent response to EGFR-TKI treatment. However, the median progression-free survival (PFS) of NSCLC patients treated with EGFR-TKI is only 10-12 months, so the problem of drug resistance in treatment needs to be urgently solved. Clinical studies have shown that metformin and EGFR-TKI have synergistic effects in the treatment of NSCLC patients. Additionally, patients who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, with mutation have shown synergistic effects. This combination therapy can lead to longer PFS and overall survival (OS). This article reviews the synergistic effect of metformin and EGFR-TKI in the treatment of NSCLC.