Patients with cancer respond poorly to the hormone insulin
Associate Professor at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Lykke Sylow, has published a new meta-study showing that cancer patients are at increased risk of metabolic dysfunction.
When diagnosed with cancer, the cancer disease itself understandably receives a lot of focus. However, it is often overlooked that patients with cancer also have an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction, including insulin resistance, which this new study confirms. The study has just been published in the cancer journal Acta Oncologica.
It is important not to overlook this risk, as metabolic dysfunction can be a serious factor in cancer-related complications and death: "We don't know much about the cause of metabolic dysfunction in cancer patients. Our new study shows that cancer patients respond poorly to the hormone insulin, indicating a potential link between insulin resistance and cancer," says Lykke Sylow and continues:
"When the body responds poorly to insulin, it can lead to elevated insulin levels, which can have fatal consequences, as insulin has been shown to increase the growth of cancer cells in cell and mouse studies. Moreover, it can be the direct cause of why some cancer types significantly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, which we published in a study last year in the journal Diabetes Care. If you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after being diagnosed with cancer, the risk of dying is increased by over 20 percent."
Reducing insulin resistance could potentially lead to significant progress in the treatment of cancer patients:
"However, further studies are needed to determine whether regulating insulin resistance will reduce morbidity and mortality among cancer survivors. It is crucial to continue investigating the underlying factors in order to help cancer patients in the best possible way," concludes Lykke Sylow.
The study is a collaboration between researchers at the University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, and Steno Diabetes Center.