AUTHOR=Huang Lucy , Woods Charmaine M. , Dharmawardana Nuwan , Michael Michael Z. , Ooi Eng Hooi 

TITLE=The mechanisms of action of metformin on head and neck cancer in the pre-clinical setting: a scoping review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2024.1358854

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2024.1358854

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>This scoping review identifies the mechanistic pathways of metformin when used to treat head and neck cancer cells, in the pre-clinical setting. Understanding the underlying mechanisms will inform future experimental designs exploring metformin as a potential adjuvant for head and neck cancer. This scoping review was conducted according to the Joanna-Briggs Institute framework. A structured search identified 1288 studies, of which 52 studies fulfilled the eligibility screen. The studies are presented in themes addressing hallmarks of cancer. Most of the studies demonstrated encouraging anti-proliferative effects <italic>in vitro</italic> and reduced tumor weight and volume in animal models. However, a few studies have cautioned the use of metformin which supported cancer cell growth under certain conditions.</p>