Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 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

[Insulin and insulin-like growth factor pathway, a new targeted therapy in oncology]

J Bosch-Barrera1, A Hernández, L E Abella

  • 1Departamento de oncología, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Avenida Pio XII 36, Pamplona, Spain. jbosch@unav.es

Anales Del Sistema Sanitario De Navarra
|January 23, 2010
PubMed

Insights

The insulin and insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway is a new target for cancer therapy. Blocking this pathway shows promise as a future cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular biology
  • Cancer research
  • Endocrinology

Context:

  • Cancer cells utilize specific signaling pathways for growth and survival.
  • The insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway is implicated in various cancers.
  • Understanding this pathway is crucial for developing targeted cancer therapies.

Purpose:

  • To review the biological functions of the insulin/IGF signaling pathway.
  • To summarize laboratory and population studies linking this pathway to cancer.
  • To outline therapeutic strategies targeting this pathway in oncology.

Summary:

  • The insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway, involving ligands (insulin, IGF1, IGF2), receptors, and intracellular cascades, plays a role in tumor cell proliferation.
  • Evidence from laboratory and population studies suggests this pathway is a viable target for cancer treatment.
  • Various strategies to block this pathway are under investigation, with some in advanced clinical trials.

Impact:

  • Identifies a novel therapeutic target for cancer treatment.
  • Highlights the potential of pathway-blocking drugs as a future weapon in oncology.
  • Suggests a new avenue for improving outcomes for cancer patients.

Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
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...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...