Asociación de la insulina y el factor de crecimiento semejante a la insulina tipo 1 (IGF-1) en el cáncer de mama

samples from 15 patients who had been diagnosed with breast cancer during january-august 2008 were assayed for the purpose of evaluating the association of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (igf-1) in women with this type of cancer. assays were performed to measure fasting blood glucose, basal insulin, and igf-1. a homeostatic model assessment test (homa) was also performed to assess insulin sensitivity, and the results were matched against those of healthy women of the same age group. insulin plasma concentration in the former group was 11.53 ± 1.91 μu/ ml whereas that of the control group was 5.1±0.98 μu/ml, a statistically significant finding. (p<0.01). in addition, the glucose level in the sick women was 108.57±12.33 mg/dl as compared to 80.92±1.40 mg/dl in those without cancer. homa was 3.15 and 1.00, and igf.1 levels were 219.64±17.03 ng/ml and 178.47±12.78 ng/ml for sick and healthy women, respectively. it is thus concluded that women with cancer develop insulin resistance, which in synergy with igf-1, promotes breast cell proliferation and differentiation.