Anti-apoptotic actions of insulin-like growth factors: lessons from development and implications in neoplastic cell transformation.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of developmental biology and oncological mechanisms without systematic methods.
PubMed 17346184 · doi:10.2174/138161207780249164
What was done
Narrative review describing the role of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in promoting cell survival, growth, proliferation, and differentiation during development—with a specific focus on inner ear development—and reviewing how deregulation of the IGF system contributes to cancer.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data or specific measurements. It qualitatively summarizes that IGF-I promotes cell survival across various cell types (including the nervous system) during normal development, but notes that aberrant survival signaling via IGF system deregulation in adult tissues can lead to excessive cell proliferation and neoplasia.
Why it matters
Highlights the dual nature of IGF-I signaling, bridging its essential anti-apoptotic functions in organ development with its oncogenic potential when dysregulated in adult tissues.
Limits
The abstract describes a non-systematic narrative review containing no original patient data, pooled quantitative analyses, or documented literature search methodology.
Cited by
- supports IGF-1 acts as a major tumor promoter by stimulating cancer cell growth and overriding apoptosis pathways that eliminate damaged cells.