Do insulin-like growth factors mediate the effect of alcohol on breast cancer risk?
Abstract
Despite a large number of epidemiologic studies demonstrating an increased risk of breast cancer in association with alcohol consumption, a causal relationship between alcohol intake and breast cancer risk remains to be determined. Several biological mechanisms have been proposed, but none of them explains well the features of the association, i.e. a modest increase in risk, a limited range of dose-response relationship and no further increase in risk among heavy drinkers. A new mechanism underlying a possible biological role of alcohol in breast cancer is proposed in this paper. Moderate consumption of alcohol increases the production of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) by the liver and elevated IGFs via circulation stimulate or promote the development and/or growth of breast cancer. The effect of alcohol on IGF production declines among heavy drinkers as alcohol-caused liver-function damage results in no further increase in IGF production. Therefore, compared to moderate drinkers, heavy alcohol users do not have a higher risk of breast cancer.
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Alcohol consumption may lead to alterations in serum levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), with moderate chronic alcohol consumption increasing IGF and acute alcohol consumption decreasing IGF.
“Thirdly, alcohol consumption may lead to alterations in serum levels of insulin‐like growth factor (IGF); however, this relationship is complex, with moderate chronic alcohol consumption increasing serum levels of IGF, and acute alcohol consumption leading to a decrease in IGF levels 156.”
From The relationship between different dimensions of alcohol use and the burden of disease—an update (2017) · cites this paper as [156]
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References 80 · Cited by 31
- Authors
- Yu, H., & Berkel, J.
- Affiliations
- Louisiana State University (US)
- Venue
- Medical Hypotheses
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-06
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 491-496
- ISSN
- 0306-9877 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2040141576
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Medical Hypotheses (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Risks and Factors
- Keywords
- alcohol consumption, breast cancer risk, insulin-like growth factor, liver function damage, heavy drinking, dose-response relationship
- MeSH terms
- Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholism, Breast Neoplasms, Female, Humans, Models, Biological, Risk Factors, Somatomedins
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