Insulin-like Growth Factors and Cancer

The insulin-like growth factor system has been shown to play a critical role in cancer development and progression. Insulin-like Growth Factors and Cancer: From Basic Biology to Therapeutics, specifically brings these aspects to the reader. The volume covers the epidemiological aspects of the relationships between circulating insulin and IGF-1 levels and the risk for cancer and cancer-related mortality and in particularly in disease states such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes. It then addresses the basic biology of the system and how the ligands, receptors and IGF-binding proteins affect cancer cell biology and cancer progression. Finally, it discusses the therapeutic potential of inhibiting the receptors using various newly discovered monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors that are in preclinical and clinical trials.