Effect of IGF-1 on Bladder Cancer

Abstract

Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) is a protein involved in cell growth, development, and regeneration, and it is produced in the liver in response to growth hormone. Recent studies have shown that IGF-1 may play a role in the development and spread of certain types of cancer. While IGF-1 promotes cell proliferation, it can also inhibit apoptosis a feature that may lead to uncontrolled growth of cancer cells and aggressive tumor progression. Numerous studies have investigated IGF-1 levels in relation to breast, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers. Researchers have found strong evidence that IGF-1 not only contributes to cell proliferation in cancer patients but may also facilitate metastasis. Therefore, research targeting IGF-1 levels and its receptors is considered a promising strategy in cancer treatment and management. In our study, we examined IGF-1 levels in 100 bladder cancer tissue samples 50 from patients with low-grade cancer and 50 from those with high-grade cancer. Tissue samples were properly processed and converted into supernatant form, after which they were analyzed using the chemiluminescent immunoassay method on an autoanalyzer. According to our results, the IGF-1 levels in patient samples were found to be below the reference range of the IGF-1 kit used. However, statistical analysis revealed that IGF-1 levels were significantly higher in patients with high-grade bladder cancer compared to those with low-grade cancer. This suggests that IGF-1 expression pathways may be disrupted in cancer and could have a negative impact in high-grade cases. We believe that our study may shed light on cancer by determining the level of IGF-1 hormone in tissue samples of patients with bladder cancer.