Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal (Apr 2011)

The Role of Insulin and Insulin-like Growth Factors in the Increased Risk of Cancer in Diabetes

  • Derek LeRoith,
  • Eyal J. Scheinman,
  • Keren Bitton-Worms

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5041/RMMJ.10043
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2, no. 2
p. e0043

Abstract

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Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at increased risk of developing cancer. This evidence arises from numerous epidemiologic studies that relate a positive association between T2D and cancer. In-vitro and several in-vivo experiments have attempted to discern the potential mechanistic factors involved in this relationship. Candidates include hyperinsulinemia, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) signaling. These studies demonstrated that increased insulin, IGF-1, and IGF-2 signaling through the insulin receptor and IGF-1 receptor can induce cancer development and progression.

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