Insulin Resistance, Diabetes, and Cancer: An Overview of the Pathogenetic Mechanisms
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Pathophysiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 107
Special Issue Editors
Interests: breast cancer; diabetes; signaling pathways; phytopharmacology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Epidemiological studies have consistently established a strong link between metabolic disorders—specifically insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D)—and an increased risk for the development and progression of various cancers, including liver, pancreatic, breast, endometrial, and colorectal cancer. This association also correlates with worse prognosis and higher cancer-related mortality. While hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia are considered central to this relationship, the exact molecular and cellular mechanisms driving this pathological crosstalk remain complex and multifactorial.
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the pathogenetic mechanisms bridging insulin resistance, diabetes, and oncogenesis. We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and systematic reviews that elucidate the intricate biological pathways involved. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The role of hyperinsulinemia and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) signaling in promoting tumor proliferation and survival;
- The impact of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in the diabetic microenvironment on cancer initiation and progression;
- Dysregulated metabolic pathways (e.g., in glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism) in cancer cells under diabetic conditions;
- The involvement of adipose tissue dysfunction, adipokines, and cytokines in linking obesity, diabetes, and cancer;
- The gut microbiome as a potential modulator of insulin resistance and cancer risk.
- The effect of antidiabetic medications (e.g., metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors, insulin) on cancer risk and outcomes;
- Novel biomarkers and preclinical models for studying the diabetes–cancer axis.
We hope this collection of articles will enhance our understanding of these shared pathogenic mechanisms and inspire new strategies for cancer prevention and therapy in this high-risk patient population.
Dr. Kumar Ganesan
Prof. Dr. Kunka Mohanram Ramkumar
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- insulin resistance
- type 2 diabetes
- hyperinsulinemia
- IGF-1 signaling
- tumor microenvironment
- metabolic inflammation
- adipokines
- antidiabetic drugs
- cancer metabolism
- phytocompounds
- bioactive molecules
- hormone regulation
- intracellular signalling pathways
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