Insulin-like growth factors and neoplasia

The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signalling pathway has important roles in regulating cellular proliferation and apoptosis. Converging results from epidemiological research and in vivo carcinogenesis models indicate that high levels of circulating IGF1 are associated with increased risk of several common cancers. Ongoing research seeks to clarify the mechanisms underlying these observations and to determine the extent to which IGF physiology influences patterns of cancer incidence. Various therapeutic strategies that target the IGF1 receptor have demonstrated impressive antineoplastic activity in laboratory models, and clinical trials of several novel drug candidates are planned.