Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Ex Vivo Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Cerebral Spinal Fluid from Melanoma Patients to Study Melanoma-Associated Leptomeningeal Disease
06:25

Ex Vivo Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Cerebral Spinal Fluid from Melanoma Patients to Study Melanoma-Associated Leptomeningeal Disease

Published on: March 29, 2024

The insulin-like growth factor system and its receptors: A potential novel anticancer target

Colin R Lindsay1, Tr Jeffry Evans

  • 1Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, United Kingdom;

Biologics : Targets & Therapy
|August 27, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Novel cancer therapies target the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling system, crucial for cell growth and survival. This review explores IGF physiology, its link to cancer, and IGF receptor-targeted therapies in development.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Cancer development is linked to uncontrolled cell division and proliferation.
  • The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway plays a key role in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis.
  • Dysregulation of the IGF system is implicated in various neoplastic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the physiology of the IGF system.
  • To discuss the epidemiological significance of IGF signaling in neoplasia.
  • To review preclinical and clinical studies investigating IGF receptor-targeted cancer therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of preclinical and clinical studies.
  • Analysis of epidemiological data on IGF signaling and cancer.
  • Overview of IGF system physiology.

Main Results:

  • The IGF system is a critical regulator of cellular processes relevant to cancer.
  • Epidemiological studies suggest a significant association between IGF signaling and cancer risk.
  • Numerous preclinical and clinical studies are exploring the therapeutic potential of targeting IGF receptors.

Conclusions:

  • The IGF signaling pathway represents a promising target for novel anticancer therapies.
  • Targeting IGF receptors holds potential for treating various types of cancer.
  • Further research and clinical trials are warranted to fully elucidate the role of IGF signaling in cancer and optimize therapeutic strategies.
Keywords:
IGF-1clinical trialsgrowth factorinsulin

Related Concept Videos

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways01:28

Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways

Insulin action is mediated through a receptor tyrosine kinase, akin to the IGF-1 receptor. The number of receptors per cell varies significantly, from 40 on erythrocytes to 300,000 on adipocytes and hepatocytes. The insulin receptor consists of linked α/β subunit dimers, forming a heterotetramer glycoprotein with two extracellular α subunits and two β subunits spanning the membrane. The α subunits inhibit the inherent tyrosine kinase activity of the β subunits, but this inhibition is released...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include: