What are the latest clinical trials with CAR-T therapy?5 answersThe latest clinical trials with CAR-T therapy encompass a wide range of hematological malignancies. These trials focus on enhancing treatment outcomes, addressing limitations like high relapse rates and adverse effects, and exploring novel targets for CAR-T cell therapy. Various phase I trial designs are being employed to determine the maximum tolerated dose and ensure safety. While CAR-T cells have shown remarkable efficacy in hematological malignancies, efforts are ongoing to overcome limitations in solid tumors, such as an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and insufficient tumor infiltration, by exploring other immune cells like CAR-NK and CAR-M cells. Despite the hurdles like limited efficacy in solid tumors and high costs, CAR-T therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, offering promising therapeutic alternatives for patients with blood malignancies.
What are the current clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of metformin in cancer treatment?4 answersMetformin is being evaluated in several clinical trials for its effectiveness in cancer treatment. One trial is investigating the use of metformin in combination with standard neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for improving pathological complete response rates in breast cancer patients. Another trial is exploring the potential of metformin in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer. The study aims to determine the efficacy of metformin as an antineoplastic drug in HCC and its potential for enhancing treatment outcomes when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Additionally, a trial is assessing the use of metformin in offsetting the adverse effects of adriamycin-cyclophosphamide plus paclitaxel (AC-T) chemotherapy in non-diabetic breast cancer patients. The study aims to determine whether metformin can reduce the incidence and severity of peripheral neuropathy, oral mucositis, fatigue, and cardiac dysfunction caused by AC-T chemotherapy. These clinical trials are investigating the potential benefits of metformin in different cancer types and treatment settings.
Metformin use in cancer?5 answersMetformin use in cancer has been studied in several papers. Wang et al. found that metformin use was associated with decreased all-cause mortality among esophageal cancer patients. Jo et al. analyzed a cohort of prostate cancer patients and found that the duration of metformin administration was inversely associated with prostate cancer risk. Mu et al. provided a comprehensive perspective of metformin as an anticancer drug, highlighting its potential therapeutic effects and modulation of tumor cell response to treatments. Another study by Wang et al. conducted a meta-analysis and found that metformin usage was associated with improved overall survival in cancer patients, particularly in those with diabetes. However, a cohort study by the American Association for Cancer Research found no evidence that metformin use affects overall lung cancer risk, although there was variation in the association by smoking history and histology. Overall, these studies suggest that metformin may have potential benefits in cancer treatment and prevention, particularly in certain patient populations.
What are the latest findings on the use of metformin?5 answersMetformin has been extensively studied for its potential in cancer prevention and treatment. Observational studies initially reported a reduction in cancer incidence among metformin users, but these findings were later found to be affected by biases such as immortal time bias. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials and cohort studies did not find a significant association between metformin use and skin cancer risk, although there was suggestive evidence of modestly reduced risks. In terms of cancer therapy, metformin has shown potential as an adjuvant in chemoradiotherapy, particularly for diabetic individuals. Metformin use has also been associated with a lower risk of immune-mediated skin diseases but does not have a preventive effect on androgen-mediated skin diseases. In the context of COVID-19, metformin has been found to reduce mortality among diabetic patients. However, further assessment of risks versus benefits is needed before implementing metformin at a larger scale for COVID-19 patients.
What is car-t therapy used for?5 answersCAR-T therapy is used for the treatment of hematologic malignancies, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia and large B-cell lymphomas. It involves the use of a patient's own immune cells that are engineered to target and kill cancer cells. CAR-T therapy has shown success in hematological malignancies due to the almost universal expression of the CD19 antigen. However, its effectiveness in solid tumors is limited due to challenges such as variable expression of target antigens, difficulty in penetrating solid tumors, and hostile microenvironment. Despite these challenges, there have been breakthroughs and potential solutions proposed to improve CAR-T therapy for cancer treatment. CAR-T therapy has generated significant excitement and is being explored as a potential treatment option for both hematologic and solid-organ malignancies.
How metformin can affect immune cells during colorectal cancer?2 answersMetformin has been shown to affect immune cells during colorectal cancer (CRC) by reprogramming the tumor immune microenvironment and enhancing the anti-tumor immune response. One study found that metformin disrupted the dense tumor stroma, promoting drug delivery and remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment. Another study demonstrated that metformin decreased the expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), a key suppressor of the cytotoxic immune response, in CRC cells. Additionally, metformin was found to activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway and suppress the mevalonate (MVA) pathway, leading to a decrease in cancer stem cells (CSCs) in CRC. Furthermore, a high throughput functional screen identified microRNAs that sensitize CRC cells to metformin, suggesting that microRNAs can modulate the anti-proliferative effects of metformin on CRC cells. These findings highlight the potential of metformin as an immunomodulatory agent in CRC therapy.