High insulin levels directly linked to pancreatic cancer
October 31, 2023
A new study from researchers at UBC’s Faculty of Medicine reveals a direct link between high insulin levels, common among patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, and pancreatic cancer.
The study, published in Cell Metabolism, provides the first detailed explanation of why people with obesity and type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. The research demonstrates that excessive insulin levels overstimulate pancreatic acinar cells, which produce digestive juices. This overstimulation leads to inflammation that converts these cells into precancerous cells.
“Alongside the rapid increase in both obesity and type 2 diabetes, we’re seeing an alarming rise in pancreatic cancer rates,” said co-senior author Dr. James Johnson, a professor in the department of cellular and physiological sciences and interim director of the Life Sciences Institute at UBC. “These findings help us understand how this is happening, and highlights the importance of keeping insulin levels within a healthy range, which can be accomplished with diet, exercise and in some cases medications.”
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