Insulin resistance and cancer: molecular links and clinical perspectives.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of mechanistic biology and epidemiological associations
PubMed 40089612 · doi:10.1007/s11010-025-05245-8
What was done
Narrative review examining the epidemiological evidence and molecular mechanisms linking insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and cancer risk and progression.
What was found
The review notes that individuals with T2DM have an overall 10–20% increased risk of developing solid tumors. Relative risk (RR) is elevated across tumor types, with the strongest associations in pancreatic and liver cancers (RR 2.0–2.5) and moderate elevations in colorectal and breast cancers (RR 1.2–1.5). Mechanistically, insulin resistance drives hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, chronic inflammation, and dysregulated lipid metabolism, which activate downstream IGF1R, MAPK, and PIK3CA signaling cascades that facilitate cell proliferation and tumor survival.
Why it matters
Highlights the mechanistic framework connecting metabolic disease to oncogenesis, supporting strategies that address insulin resistance alongside standard oncology care to optimize clinical outcomes.
Limits
The abstract describes a non-systematic narrative review without specified search criteria, study selection methods, or statistical pooling. Primary study designs, sample sizes, and control for key confounders (e.g., obesity, medication use) are not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- context Insulin resistance is an underlying driver of common cancers, including breast, pancreatic, ovarian, and colon cancer.