Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

TUESDAY, Dec. 10, 2024 -- In non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ) patients with overweight or obesity, metformin may improve lung cancer-specific clinical outcomes, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute . Randall J. Smith Jr., Ph.D., from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, and colleagues retrospectively analyzed two clinical cohorts and employed contemporary mouse models to examine whether metformin could benefit NSCLC patients with overweight and obesity. One cohort included NSCLC patients with overweight body mass index (BMI) and nonoverweight BMI (511 and 232 individuals, respectively) who underwent lobectomy, and the second examined the effect of metformin on progression-free survival (PFS) after immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in 284 NSCLC patients with overweight BMI versus 184 NSCLC patients with nonoverweight BMI. The researchers found that in patients with overweight, there was an association for metformin with increased recurrence-free survival after lobectomy (hazard ratio, 0.47). In diet-induced obese mouse models, metformin corrected accelerated tumor growth in a lymphocyte-specific manner, while reversing certain mechanisms of immune suppression potentiated by obesity. In obese mice, programmed cell death 1 blockade coupled with metformin was more effective at limiting tumor burden; in patients with overweight on immunotherapy, metformin correlated with PFS (hazard ratio, 0.60). "Our findings demonstrate a need for prospective studies of metformin's effects on high BMI individuals with advanced lung cancer, especially the growing population receiving checkpoint blockade therapy," the authors write.

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2024 -- Already the go-to drug of choice for millions with type 2 diabetes, metformin might also fight lung cancer if those patients have it as well, new research shows. Metformin appears to help boost the benefits of immunotherapy drugs used to fight lung tumors, according to a team led by Dr. Sai Yendamuri . He directs thoracic surgery at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, N.Y. There was one big catch to the new finding , however. "Our work shows that the anticancer effect of metformin is active only in the context of obesity,” Yendamuri said in a Roswell news release. “We observed longer recurrence-free survival in overweight patients who took metformin and underwent surgery.” The study was published recently in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute . Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for Americans. Almost 235,000 new cases of the illness are diagnosed each year, and more than 125,000 people die from lung cancer annually, according to the American Cancer Society . According to the researchers, prior data had suggested that metformin might have anti-cancer benefits, although clinical trials hadn't been able to confirm this. Yendamuri theorized that could be because the benefit might only be occurring among obese patients. He designed the new study to test that theory. It involved 511 lung cancer patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher (above the threshold for overweight/obesity), and 232 patients with a BMI of less than 25, not considered overweight. All had non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), the leading form of the disease, and all had surgery to remove a lung tumor. A second group included 284 overweight and 184 non-overweight patients with NSCLC who received a type of immunotherapy called an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The main finding: “Our work shows that the anticancer effect of metformin is active only in the context of obesity,” Yendamuri said. “We observed longer recurrence-free survival in overweight patients who took metformin and underwent surgery.” How is metformin having an anti-cancer effect? Studies performed in mice suggest the drug appears to blunt the damage obesity can do to the human immune system. That might render immune-focused cancer meds more effective, but only among obese individuals. “By calling attention to the potential of metformin-containing treatment regimens to improve clinical outcomes for obese and overweight patients, we hope to inspire future studies,” said study co-author Joseph Barbi . “We believe our findings provide a rationale for testing drug combinations that might have the potential for preventing or treating lung cancer more effectively in this growing pool of patients," said Barbi, an assistant professor of oncology in Roswell Park’s Department of Immunology. Barbi and Yendamuri plan a clinical trial to test metformin's potential for preventing lung cancer in overweight or obese people at high risk for the disease. “Metformin has been used for 30 years and has a long record of safety — and it’s one of the most widely accessible and affordable drugs of any kind,” Yendamuri said. “If we can repurpose it to fight cancer, that’s very exciting.” Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

OCALA, Fla., Nov. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE American: AIM) (“AIM” or the “Company”) today announced that data were published on Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Phase 1 study evaluating AIM ImmunoTech’s drug Ampligen® (also known as rintatolimod) as a component of a chemokine-modulating (CKM) regimen in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Results of the study were reported in The Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. “We are very excited with these promising results from our study of a new treatment combination for patients with this most highly aggressive form of breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer,” said study principal investigator Shipra Gandhi, MD, Associate Professor of Oncology and staff physician in the Department of Medicine at Roswell Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Because this initial study was in a small number of patients, it will be important to validate these findings in a larger study.” For more information on the data reported, please visit Roswell Park’s website to read its press release titled, “Roswell Park Clinical Trial Points Toward Promising New Therapy for Most Aggressive Type of Breast Cancer.” AIM CEO Thomas K. Equels stated: “The results of this pilot study suggest that the Ampligen-containing chemokine modulation regimen is capable of modifying the tumor microenvironment and releasing cytokines that attract killer T-cells into the early-stage triple-negative breast cancer tumor. These data are similar to those we have seen with Ampligen previously in late-stage TNBC, advanced recurrent ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer. We look forward to collaborating with Roswell Park as this study advances to Phase 2. We believe in the power of Ampligen to work in conjunction with a variety of chemotherapy regimens and/or immune checkpoint inhibitors.” For more information about the study, please visit ClinicalTrials.com: NCT04081389. About Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center From the world’s first chemotherapy research to the PSA prostate cancer biomarker, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center generates innovations that shape how cancer is detected, treated and prevented worldwide. Driven to eliminate cancer’s grip on humanity, the Roswell Park team of 4,000 makes compassionate, patient-centered cancer care and services accessible across New York State and beyond. Founded in 1898, Roswell Park was among the first three cancer centers nationwide to become a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and is the only one to hold this designation in Upstate New York. To learn more about Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Roswell Park Care Network, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email ASKRoswell@RoswellPark.org. About AIM ImmunoTech Inc. AIM ImmunoTech Inc. is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders and viral diseases, including COVID-19. The Company’s lead product is a first-in-class investigational drug called Ampligen® (rintatolimod), a dsRNA and highly selective TLR3 agonist immuno-modulator with broad spectrum activity in clinical trials for globally important cancers, viral diseases and disorders of the immune system. For more information, please visit aimimmuno.com and connect with the Company on X, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Cautionary Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”). Words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “continue,” “believe,” “potential,” “upcoming” and other variations thereon and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Many of these forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Data, pre-clinical success and clinical success seen to date do not guarantee that Ampligen will be approved as a therapy for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. The Company urges investors to consider specifically the various risk factors identified in its most recent Form 10-K, and any risk factors or cautionary statements included in any subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Among other things, for those statements, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the PSLRA. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof.