Characterizing the Role of Insulin Signalling in Advanced Prostate Cancer

The majority of prostate cancer patients receiving hormone therapy become insulin resistant and studies show this metabolic dysfunction is associated with more rapid treatment failure, yet the effect of insulin on prostate cancer is not fully known. This thesis discovered the mechanisms by which insulin increases the propensity of prostate cancer cells to migrate which is required for cancer cells to disseminate and metastasise, giving a possible explanation for the more aggressive disease in prostate cancer patients with insulin resistance. The results provide a strong rationale for specifically monitoring and treating insulin resistance in prostate cancer patients, which is not current clinical practice. The results suggest that anti-diabetes drugs may be useful as adjuvant therapy in prostate cancer