Insuline-Like Growth-Factors (IGFs) as Marker of Risk and Progression of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

The growing incidence of prostate cancer is stimulating investigations on cancer differentiation and proliferation. Studies on guinea-pigs showed IGF can cause and stimulate cancer as hepatocarcinoma, breast cancer, pancreas cancer and prostate cancer. Between April 2001 and February 2002 we investigated 17 patients (50–75 years old) with prostate cancer. IGF1 serum concentration before surgery was higher than physiological level, at 2 months and, above all, at 6 months after radical prostatectomy this level decreased significantly. Furthermore IGF growing was related with protein and hormone variations (protein and hormone levels were measured before surgery, at 2 and 6 months after surgery; BMI was measured in the same periods). IGF1R concentration on the prostate glande was low expressed as we showed with immunohistochemistry: this could mean a low sensibility to apoptosis. IGF1/PSA was significantly low in patients with prostate cancer. These results suggest the possible role of IGF1 in differentiation-progression of prostate cancer and in metabolic alterations. Other studies about IGF might investigate its diagnostic and therapeutic role.

Keywords

IGF 1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1)IGF1R (Insulin-like Growth Factor1 Receptor)BMI (Body Mass Index)prostate cancer IGF 2 (Insulin-like Growth Factors 2)IGFBP3 (Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3)impedenziometria adenocarcinoma prostatico

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Damon

S.E.

, Plymate

S.R.

, Carroll

J.M.

. Transcriptional regulation of Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor gene expression in prostate cancer cells. Endocrinology 2001; 142: 21–6.

Chan

J.M.

. Plasma Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 and Prostate Cancer Risk: a prospective study. Science 1998; 279: 563–6.