title: Metformin and breast cancer: basic knowledge in clinical context.
abstract: Although preclinical work is vital in unraveling the molecular tenets which apply to metformin action in breast cancer, it is by nature unable to capture the host's response to metformin in terms of insulin-mediated effects and related changes in the hormonal and metabolic asset at the systemic level. The latter might sound seemingly paradoxical when considering the inveterate use of metformin in dysmetabolisms and pathologic conditions with underlying hormonal disruption. Bridging the gap between the molecular target and characteristics of breast cancer patients may help lab-based experiments and clinical work converge into one or more well characterized sub-populations instead of a sub optimally selected one. An appropriate patient selection is the main key to the most suitable outcome interpretation and amelioration, in an attempt to meet our patients needs midway between overestimation of benefits and efficacy dilution for any given intervention and/or co-intervention.
authors: Division of Medical Oncology B, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: pizzuti8@hotmail.com.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Pizzuti
authors: Division of Medical Oncology B, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: pvici@ifo.it.
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Vici
authors: Division of Medical Oncology B, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: dilauro@ifo.it.
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Di Lauro
authors: Division of Medical Oncology B, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: sergidome@libero.it.
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Sergi
authors: Division of Medical Oncology B, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy.
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Della Giulia
authors: Oncology Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital, La Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Marchetti
authors: Medical Oncology B-Scientific Direction, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy.
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: Maugeri-Saccà
authors: Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and Center of Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology Temple University, Philadelphia, USA; Department of Human Pathology and Oncology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Giordano
authors: Medical Oncology B-Scientific Direction, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: maddalena.barba@gmail.com.
authors: Maddalena
authors: M
authors: Barba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008687:Metformin
keywords: Breast cancer; Metformin; Outcome interpretation; Population target