title: Metformin: A candidate for the treatment of gynecological tumors based on drug repositioning.
abstract: Metformin is a first-line drug used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Recently, metformin has been reported to reduce the carcinogenic risk and inhibit tumor cell growth in glioma and breast cancer. The anticancer action of metformin involves the enhancement of phosphorylation of liver kinase B1, activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin, which reduces cell growth. Metformin is anticipated to exert antitumor effects in gynecological cancer, and its efficacy for the treatment of endometrial, breast and ovarian cancer has been suggested in preclinical studies and clinical trials. Although the effect of metformin on cervical cancer remains to be examined in clinical trials, its antitumor effects have been reported in preclinical studies. Thus, the use of metformin for the treatment of gynecological cancer may become a successful example of drug repositioning, following establishment of the drug's antitumor effects, risk evaluation, screening and validation of efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Irie
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Banno
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanokura
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Umene
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nogami
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiichiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tominaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aoki
keywords: breast cancer; drug repositioning; endometrial cancer; metformin; ovarian cancer