Evaluation the effect of Metformin and/or Omega-3 on the Development of Breast Cancer in Albino Wistar Rats

Background: Breast cancer has the highest occurrence among women worldwide. It is listed as the fifth top cause of mortality due to cancer. There is no effective therapy till now for metastatic stages. Objective: Study of the effect of metformin and/or omega-3 on DMBA-induced BC development in Albino Wistar rats. Methods: The study included 30 female rats, separated into five groups: a normal control group (C), a pathological control group (BC), Metformin group (M), Omega-3 group (O), and Combination group (M+O). The mammary glands were excised immediately after sacrifice to determine the histological type and grade of the tumors. Both malondialdehyde levels and catalase activity in the mammary glands were assayed as indicators of oxidative stress and the percentage of body weight gain was calculated. Results: Invasive ductal carcinoma formed in the (BC) group and the highest proportion of aggressive tumors was observed in this group, where the grade of the tumors ranged between grade III and II. The incidence of invasion decreased in the Metformin group by 83.33%, in the Omega-3 group by 33.33% and in the Combination group by 100%. The tumors that formed in the treatment groups exhibited lower aggressiveness in comparison to those observed in the (BC) group. Malondialdehyde levels increased, catalase activity in the mammary glands decreased and the percentage of body weight gain decreased in the (BC) group in comparison to the (C) group. While malondialdehyde levels decreased, catalase activity in the mammary glands increased and the percentage of body weight gain increased in the treatment groups in comparison to the (BC) group. Conclusion: Metformin has shown its capacity to delay the development of breast tumors and decrease their aggressiveness, while omega-3 has shown the ability to reduce the aggressiveness of tumors. Their combination also delayed the development of breast tumors and controlled their aggressiveness, but there was no statistical difference compared to metformin or omega-3 alone.