The Associations Between the TyG Index and the Risk of Cancer-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Metabolic Research
• Oncology
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Insulin resistance (IR) is mechanistically linked to cancer development via inflammation and altered metabolic signaling.
• The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a recognized surrogate marker for IR.
• The utility of the TyG index in cancer risk assessment requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze studies investigating the association between the TyG index and cancer risk.
• To determine if the TyG index predicts cancer risk independently of metabolic syndrome components.
• To assess the consistency of the TyG index-cancer association across different cancer types.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases (2008-2024).
• Inclusion of cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies.
• Meta-analysis of effect sizes, subgroup analyses, and trial sequential analysis (TSA) for evidence reliability.

Main Results:

• A total of 20 studies were included in the meta-analysis.
• Elevated TyG index was significantly associated with increased risk for digestive cancers (OR: 1.22), urogenital cancers (OR: 2.04), and breast cancer (OR: 1.64).
• Associations remained consistent across subgroup analyses, and TSA confirmed sufficient statistical power.

Conclusions:

• The TyG index shows consistent associations with increased cancer risk, suggesting its potential as a candidate biomarker.
• Current evidence supports the biological plausibility of IR in oncogenesis but cannot establish causality.
• Future research should focus on prospective validation, mechanistic studies, and assessing incremental value to risk stratification tools.