HYPERINSULINEMIA IN COLON, STOMACH AND BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS

The objective of this study was to collect more information on the int ricate relationship between the presence of a tumor, insulin status an d blood lipids. We selected non-obese subjects suffering from colon, s tomach and breast cancer and determined the concentration of fasting i nsulin, glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides in blood before (BS) a nd after surgery (AS). Controls were healthy non-obese subjects. Insul in was also measured in tumors and non-cancerous tissues from the same organ. BS insulin and glucose (with the exception of glucose in colon patients) were significantly higher than the controls and fell to alm ost normal levels at AS. Serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels we re reduced in stomach patients, BS and AS and cholesterol in colon pat ients BS. Tumors had 1.9-3.0 times as much insulin, or insulin-like su bstances, as control tissues. These results are consistent with our pr evious studies showing hyperinsulinemia in the presence of a tumor.