,
8 tweets,
5 min read
Read on Twitter
1/ After ~5y of experiments/analysis, our peer-reviewed manuscript testing the 'insulin-cancer' hypothesis is online. Primarily work of talented PhD student @annizubc co-supervised by @JanelKopp and myself. Funded - @SRC_CRS @CCSResearch BC Pancreas Centre cell.com/cell-metabolis…
2/ The paper is really quite straightforward. Reducing endogenous insulin production, even slightly (first panel), leads to a significant reduction in the development of pancreatic cancer (next 2 panels - dark purple is normal pancreatic acinar tissue, light is PanIN lesions). 
3/ Our new work focuses on prevention and the beginnings of pancreatic cancer, precursor lesions called PanINs, but previous work from our group cell culture, suggests that insulin also has potent effects in advanced human cancer cells (PANC1 cells) ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
4/ We are eager to work with our colleagues at the BC Cancer Agency to initiate clinical trials to examine how controlling glucose and/or insulin might affect survival in the clinical setting.
5/ While this work is focused on pancreatic cancer, where the known association between hyperinsulinemia and cancer is highest, we believe it might be applicable to other cancers associated with hyperinsulinemia. Indeed, studies using diets that reduce insulin levels support this
6/ The good news is that insulin levels are modifiable via diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. We formed the @IPTN_Canada to help turn the tide. Lifestyle can't prevent cancer, but it can reduce your risk. Lifestyle alone can't treat cancer but may help other treatments
7/ happy to answer any questions. The un-peer reviewed version is available @biorxivpreprint for that without access to Cell Metabolism biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
@annizubc @JanelKopp @SRC_CRS @CCSResearch Hey @ubcprez , this is the paper on pancreatic cancer I mentioned last time we met.
