A new study from the University of British Columbia has uncovered a direct link between high insulin levels and pancreatic cancer.
This research helps explain why people with obesity or Type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop this deadly form of cancer.
Insulin is a hormone that helps control blood sugar. But in people with obesity or Type 2 diabetes, the body often produces too much insulin — a condition called hyperinsulinemia.
The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, found that these high insulin levels overstimulate cells in the pancreas called acinar cells. These cells usually help digest food, but when overstimulated, they become inflamed. This inflammation can turn the normal cells into precancerous ones.
Professor James Johnson, one of the lead researchers, explained that the rise in obesity and Type 2 diabetes is going hand-in-hand with an increase in pancreatic cancer cases. “These findings help us understand how this is happening,” he said. “They also highlight the importance of keeping insulin levels healthy with diet, exercise, and sometimes medication.”
The study focused on a specific type of pancreatic cancer called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). It is the most common and one of the deadliest types, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10 percent. By 2030, PDAC is expected to be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
Until now, researchers weren’t sure exactly how obesity and diabetes increased the risk of pancreatic cancer. This study revealed that high insulin levels activate insulin receptors in acinar cells. This leads to an overproduction of digestive enzymes and increased inflammation — a key step in the start of pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Anni Zhang, the study’s lead author, noted that while insulin helps these pancreatic cells function normally, too much of it becomes harmful. “At high levels, insulin increases enzyme production too much and causes inflammation,” Zhang said.
The researchers believe their findings could lead to new ways to prevent or treat pancreatic cancer. One idea is to create medicines that target the insulin receptors in acinar cells to stop the harmful chain reaction. Another is to focus more on lifestyle changes that help people reduce their insulin levels.
Dr. Janel Kopp, another senior author, hopes the study will inspire doctors to talk more with patients about how managing insulin could reduce their cancer risk. “This research could help prevent pancreatic cancer before it starts,” she said.
The team is now running a clinical trial with help from BC Cancer and the Pancreas Centre BC. They want to help people with pancreatic cancer manage their insulin and blood sugar levels more effectively.
This discovery may also help scientists understand other cancers linked to obesity and diabetes. “Other studies have found connections between insulin and breast cancer,” Dr. Johnson said. “We want to find out if insulin plays a similar role in other types of cancer too.”
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Potatoes: friend or foe in the battle against diabetes? and findings of This blood pressure drug may protect kidney health in people with diabetes.
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The study is published in Cell Metabolism.
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