SynthesisInternational journal of colorectal disease2020
Metformin and colorectal cancer: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression.
Synthesis in International journal of colorectal disease, 2020. The graph read 3 numbers from its abstract, feeding 1 cell of the map, but none could be read as for or against, so it casts no vote. Cited by 71 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
Read, but not usablea number the graph found but could not read as for or against
Overall survival (HR 0.6, CI 0.53-0.67, p < 0.001) and CRC-specific survival (HR 0.66, CI 0.59-0.74, p < 0.001) were higher among metformin users compared with non-metformin users.
Overall survival (HR 0.6, CI 0.53-0.67, p < 0.001) and CRC-specific survival (HR 0.66, CI 0.59-0.74, p < 0.001) were higher among metformin users compared with non-metformin users.
Further analysis on overall survival of metastatic CRC patients revealed significantly higher survival rates in metformin users (HR 0.77, CI 0.68-0.87, p < 0.001).
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Where it lands on the map
Rows are treatments, columns are outcomes. The coloured squares are the cells this paper feeds, coloured by the vote it casts there. Click one to jump to what this paper adds to it.
What it adds to each cell
For every cell the paper feeds: the belief in the claim with and without this paper, and this paper's estimate drawn against every other readable study in the cell. The ringed dot is this paper.
Metformin×all-cause mortality
No readable resultOpen on the map →What to test next →1 readable study in this cell: 0 favour the treatment, 1 find no difference, 0 favour the comparator.
This paper's own estimate is on a different scale from the rest of the cell, so it is not drawn here.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
71 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 124 citations in OpenAlex.
- Association between sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized active-controlled trials.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2025Pooled it
- Metformin increases pathological responses to rectal cancers with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.World journal of surgical oncology · 2023 · on this mapPooled it
- Efficacy and safety of metformin in combination with chemotherapy in cancer patients without diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in oncology · 2023Pooled it
- Survival Benefit of Metformin as an Adjuvant Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2022Pooled it
- Metabolic syndrome and the risk of colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of colorectal disease · 2021Pooled it
- Medication use and risk of proximal colon cancer: a systematic review of prospective studies with narrative synthesis and meta-analysis.Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2021Pooled it
- Effect of Metformin Versus Placebo on New Primary Cancers in Canadian Cancer Trials Group MA.32: A Secondary Analysis of a Phase III Randomized Double-Blind Trial in Early Breast Cancer.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2023Trial
- Mitochondrial metabolism determines chemotherapy sensitivity in colorectal cancer.Nature metabolism · 2026Article
- Metformin as a Multifaceted Therapeutic Agent for Gastrointestinal Diseases: Mechanisms, Clinical Efficacy, and Future Directions.Pharmacology research & perspectives · 2026Review
- Cytokines at the Crossroads of Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Inflammation in Colorectal Cancer: Implications for Postoperative Complications.Molecular diagnosis & therapy · 2026Review
- Evaluating the Impact of Putative Metformin Targets on Cancer Outcomes: A Drug-Target Mendelian Randomization Study.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2026Article
- Why Is Colorectal Cancer Occurring Earlier? Metabolic Dysfunction, Underrecognized Carcinogens, and Emerging Controversies.Current obesity reports · 2026Review
- Controversial effects of metformin on human physiology and pathophysiology.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
- AΙ-Driven Drug Repurposing: Applications and Challenges.Medicines (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Mapping the current research landscape of metformin in cancer based on bibliometric analysis.Discover oncology · 2025Article
- Metformin's impact on tumor regression grade in diabetic patients with rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Metformin in Colorectal Cancer: Epidemiological Evidence, Predictive Biomarkers, and Implications for Prevention and Treatment.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Chemoprevention of Colorectal Cancer-With Emphasis on Low-Dose Aspirin and Anticoagulants.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Metformin modulates FJX1 via upregulation of Hsa-miR-1306-3p to suppress colon adenocarcinoma viability.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Exploring the Effects of Metformin on the Body via the Urine Proteome.Biomolecules · 2025Article
11 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The marked sentences are the ones the graph read a number from.
purposeMetformin may have a role in reducing the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and improving survival outcome. This meta-analysis explored the effect of metformin use on colorectal adenoma and cancer incidence, and colorectal oncological outcomes.
methodsA database search was conducted on Medline, Embase and CNKI for studies comparing metformin vs. non-metformin users, metformin users vs. non-diabetics and metformin users vs. diabetics with diet-only treatment. Meta-analysis was done with DerSimonian and Laird with risk ratios (RR), and hazard ratios (HR) for survival outcomes.
resultsWe included 58 studies and summarized incidences of colorectal adenoma and cancer, as well as cancer survival outcomes. Metformin users had a significant lower incidence of colorectal adenoma (RR 0.77, CI 0.67-0.88, p < 0.001), advanced adenoma (0.61, CI 0.42-0.88, p = 0.008) and CRC (RR 0.76, CI 0.69-0.84, p < 0.001) respectively compared with non-metformin users. Overall survival (HR 0.6, CI 0.53-0.67, p < 0.001) and CRC-specific survival (HR 0.66, CI 0.59-0.74, p < 0.001) were higher among metformin users compared with non-metformin users. Further analysis on overall survival of metastatic CRC patients revealed significantly higher survival rates in metformin users (HR 0.77, CI 0.68-0.87, p < 0.001).
conclusionThis meta-analysis showed that metformin use significantly reduces colorectal adenoma and cancer incidence and improves colorectal cancer outcomes.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.