Metformin Inhibited Proliferation and Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer and presented a Synergistic Effect on 5‐FU

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of metformin or the combination of metformin and 5‐FU on the growth and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). For the in vitro experiments, HCT 116 and SW1463 cell lines were treated with metformin or the combination of metformin and 5‐FU. Cell proliferation and invasion were analyzed by CCK‐8, colony formation, and transwell assay, respectively. For the in vivo experiments, the CRC xenograft nude mice model was used to observe the effects of metformin or combined with 5‐FU on tumor growth and metastasis. Metformin significantly inhibited the proliferation and invasion of HCT116 and SW1463 cells in vitro , which showed synergetic effects to 5‐FU. In CRC xenograft nude mice, metformin alone and metformin combined with 5‐FU treatment significantly inhibited tumor cell proliferation and tumor metastasis. In summary, metformin played an inhibitory role in the proliferation and metastasis of CRC and had a synergistic effect with 5‐FU. Metformin may be a potentially effective anti‐metastatic drug or an anticancer adjuvant agent for treating CRC.