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A case of liver hemangioma with markedly reduced tumor size after metformin treatment: a case report

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Abstract

A 52-year-old man with a 9-year history of hepatic hemangioma was treated with the anti-diabetic drug metformin, resulting in complete remission of the tumor. In 2006, a hemangioma with diameter of 20 × 25 mm was detected incidentally in the liver. The results of imaging studies including ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were all compatible with that of hepatic hemangioma. The patient consequently underwent imaging annually from 2006 to 2015. The tumor size increased slightly, to 30 × 35 mm in 2012; however, the general tumor characteristics in imaging were not changed. Beginning May 2012, metformin (750 mg/day) was administered because of an increase in blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c levels. After the start of metformin treatment, the tumor size on US gradually decreased. Finally, in October 2015, the tumor was no longer detected. Dynamic CT study also demonstrated markedly reduced tumor size, with a decrease of 2–3 mm in diameter. These results indicate that metformin treatment strongly suppressed cell proliferation in liver hemangioma. The anti-angiogenic effect of metformin was indicated as a possible cause of the reduction in tumor size.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Internal Medicine, Toyoura Municipal Hospital, 16-1 Shinonome, Toyoura Town, Hokkaido, 049-5411, Japan

    Minoru Ono

  2. Division of Gastroenterology and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, 1-1-1 Midorigaoka Higashi 2 Jo, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 078-8510, Japan

    Koji Sawada & Toshikatsu Okumura

Authors
  1. Minoru Ono
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  2. Koji Sawada
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  3. Toshikatsu Okumura
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Correspondence to Koji Sawada.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human Rights:

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008(5).

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Informed consent was obtained from the patient to be included in the study.

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Ono, M., Sawada, K. & Okumura, T. A case of liver hemangioma with markedly reduced tumor size after metformin treatment: a case report. Clin J Gastroenterol 10, 63–67 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12328-016-0705-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12328-016-0705-0

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