The IGF system and breast cancer.

Abstract

The IGF system components have been implicated in breast cancer progression. IGF-I and IGF-II are mitogenic and anti-apoptotic peptides that influence the proliferation of various cell types including normal and transformed breast epithelial cells. The IGF system is a key growth regulatory pathway in breast cancer. As various components of the IGF system have been directly or indirectly implicated in breast cancer, it is essential to gain a better understanding of these in order to develop more specific therapeutic strategies for treating breast cancer.