Insulin/IGF Signaling Pathways as Shared Drivers in Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Tumorigenesis

Bizimana Rukundo T.

Faculty of Biological Sciences Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT

The global rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has paralleled a significant increase in the incidence of various cancers, suggesting the existence of shared pathogenic mechanisms. Among the most prominent is the dysregulation of insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathways. These pathways, critical for regulating glucose metabolism and cellular growth, are profoundly altered in obesity and T2DM due to chronic hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and elevated IGF-1 levels. Such aberrations create a permissive environment for malignant transformation, proliferation, and survival. This review explores the intricate molecular crosstalk between insulin/IGF signaling and oncogenic pathways, focusing on how these mechanisms contribute to tumorigenesis in the context of metabolic dysfunction. We discuss the role of insulin/IGF in activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK pathways, their influence on angiogenesis and apoptosis, and how metabolic inflammation further amplifies these effects. Moreover, we examine clinical and experimental evidence linking insulin/IGF axis dysregulation with cancer risk and progression, and assess current therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways in metabolic diseases and oncology. Understanding the convergence of metabolic and oncogenic signaling may pave the way for integrative interventions to combat both metabolic and malignant diseases.

Keywords: Insulin signaling, IGF-1 pathway, Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, Tumorigenesis

CITE AS: Nagm Eldeen Mohamed Abbker Idreis (2025). Insulin/IGF Signaling Pathways as Shared Drivers in Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Tumorigenesis. NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL   JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND   EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES 6(3):143-150 https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJSES/2025/63.143150