Serum insulin levels in patients with colorectal cancer

Insulin regulates metabolic processes and is an important growth factor, which is able to stimulate cell proliferation and transformation and to inhibit apoptosis.

The aim of the study was to analyze the fasting serum insulin level in patients with colorectal cancer in relation to the clinical stage of the disease, patients' overweight and obesity, and the localization of a tumor (in the colon and rectum).

Seventy patients with colorectal cancer, including 41 men and 29 women (at an average age of 65 years) were enrolled into the study. Patients with diabetes, other forms of cancer, or used hormones were excluded from the study. Medical records of the patients was evaluated. Glucose and insulin levels in blood serum were analyzed. All the patients were divided into groups according to the body mass index (BMI), the clinical stage of the disease (including TNM) and tumor localization.

Ten patients (14.29%) were obese, 31 patients (44.29%) were overweight, and 29 patients had normal weight (41.43%). The average BMI was 25.98 +/- 5.38 kg/m2. The mean glucose serum level was 5.49 +/- 1.0 mmol/l and the mean insulin serum level was 18.93 +/- 14.67 microlU/ml. There were no significant differences in glucose and insulin levels in relation to the stage of the disease, tumor localization and BMI.

Overweight and obesity were observed in most of the colorectal cancer patients. No statistical associations were observed between serum insulin levels and tumor localization.