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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

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 role of insulin-like growth factors (IGF) in cell division processes and in malignancy]
Péter Vasas1, Marc C Winslet, Yu Yang Shi
1Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free & University College Medical School, University College London, London. vasasdr@gmail.com
Abstract:
Extensive research is being carried out to identify the role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in cellular development and tumorigenesis. There is substantial experimental and clinical evidence now that IGF and the related signalling pathways have important roles in regulating cellular proliferation, promoting cellular differentiation and anti-apoptotic effect. Significant amount of IGF is produced locally by neoplastic tissue, which gets into the circulation and adds to the naturally liver-generated and circulating amount. The IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) modulate the bioavailability of IGFs. Upon ligand binding to the receptor, the intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity initiates the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-K) and p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway; these have a summon effect on cell cycle. The ligand and the receptor biosynthesis are reviewed, as well as the signal transduction system and the IGF' role in neoplasm. Finally, the therapeutic modalities are surveyed with the preclinical drug's main features.
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