Interaction of insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin resistance-related genetic variants with lif

Worldwide, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Various lifestyle and genetic factors have been associated with increased risk of breast cancer. Recent studies have implicated the role of genetic variants related to insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)/insulin resistance (IR) signaling pathways with an increased breast cancer risk. But there is very little known about these relationships in population-based studies.

In this article, the researchers assessed the role of IGF-I/IR traits (fasting IGF-I, IGF-binding protein 3, insulin, glucose and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance) in breast cancer as a mediator or influencing factor using 75 SNPs (in 10 genes) related to IGF-I/IR traits and signaling pathways in participants from the ancillary studies of the Women’s Health Initiative Observation Study.

The main conclusion derived from this study is that the IGF-I/IR axis has a potential role in the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer directly rather than via the associated traits. Also, obesity, physical activity, and exogenous estrogen use modify the IGF-I/IR genetic variants-breast cancer risk association through pathways other than IGF-I/IR traits

Original article: Jung et al (2017) Breast Cancer Res Treat.164(2):475-495. doi: 10.1007/s10549-017-4272-y