← Metformin × all-cause mortality

SynthesisThe oncologist2013

Metformin is associated with survival benefit in cancer patients with concurrent type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ming Yin et al.PubMed ↗Full text ↗Publisher ↗

  • Metformin treatmentlooks good hereLower overall survival, lower cancer-specific survival.Correlation only, not a test of it.

What moved togetherboth groups pooled, not the treatment’s effect

Correlation, not cause

Metformin treatment went with lower overall survival

−34%−45% to −21%

metformin treatment vs treatment with other glucose-lowering medications

Bigger than 8 in 10 for all-cause mortality

As reported

HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.55–0.79

Correlation, not cause

Metformin treatment went with lower cancer-specific survival

−38%−54% to −16%

metformin treatment vs treatment with other glucose-lowering medications

Bigger than 9 in 10 for all-cause mortality

As reported

HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46–0.84

Who was studied, and how

13,008people with type 2 diabetes, in this paper

Already taking metformin treatment, or nottheir own situation, not assigned

on metformin treatment
treatment with other glucose-lowering medications

Metformin treatment went with lower overall survival−34%

Metformin treatment went with lower cancer-specific survival−38%

correlation, not a test

the abstract, start to end

… in both OS and CSS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.55-0.79 and HR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.46-0.84, …

← favours treatmentfavours comparator →
could be chance
Overall survival (OS)metformin treatment vs treatment with other glucose-lowering medications
HR 0.660.55–0.79
Cancer-specific survival (CSS)metformin treatment vs treatment with other glucose-lowering medications
HR 0.620.46–0.84
MetforminAll-cause mortality
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