Mechanistic Links between Obesity, Insulin, and Cancer

Trends Cancer. 2020 Feb;6(2):75-78. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2019.12.003. Epub 2020 Jan 14.

Abstract

Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) increase the prevalence and worsen the prognosis of more than a dozen tumor types; however, the mechanism for this association remains hotly debated. Here we discuss a potential role for insulin as the key hormonal mediator of tumor metabolism and growth in obesity-associated insulin resistance.

Keywords: diabetes; insulin resistance; metabolism; obesity.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Proliferation
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / epidemiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / etiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Disease Progression
  • Humans
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Obesity / complications
  • Obesity / epidemiology*
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Prevalence
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • IGF1 protein, human
  • Insulin
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I