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# Insulin resistance linked to high liver cancer risk
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/insulin_resistance_linked_to_high_liver_cancer_risk_0909161127/
- Published: 2016-09-09T12:26:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:06:13.000Z
- Description: Among Finnish male smokers, National Cancer Institute researchers found those in the top quartile of fasting glucose were 140 percent more likely to develop liver cancer than those in the bottom quartile, and men in the top quartile of serum insulin or HOMA-IR 241 and 272 percent more likely.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Cancer, Avoiding Illness, #vivvo-import

Sept 9, 2016 (foodconsumer.org) -- Insulin resistance is a signature feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is associated with significantly increased risk for cancer. Even among individuals without diagnosed diabetes mellitus, high levels of fasting insulin (not high enough to be classified as diabetes) are known to increase risk of chronic liver disease and liver cancer.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute have recently published a study to confirm that people with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and high fasting glucose were at much higher risk for liver cancer than those without insulin resistance.

The study found that those Finnish male smokers in the third quartile of pre-diagnostic fasting glucose were 88% more likely to develop liver cancer than those in the first quartile. Those in the fourth quartile were 140% more likely to develop liver cancer than those in the first quartile.

Those with undiagnosed, but biochemically defined diabetes were 195% more likely to be diagnosed with liver cancer and 88% more likely to die from chronic liver disease, compared to those without diabetes.

With regard to the insulin status, serum insulin and HOMA-IR were positively associated with liver cancer and chronic liver disease. Those in the fourth quartile of serum insulin and HOMA-IR were 241% and 272% more likely to develop liver cancer, respectively. The associations were stronger for liver cancer diagnosed more than 10 years after the beginning of the study.

The study concluded elevated fasting glucose and insulin and insulin resistance is a risk factor for liver cancer and chronic liver disease. The study suggests that it is important for people carrying these risk factors to take measures to treat insulin resistance or diabetes.

The case-control study was based on data from 138 incident primary liver cancer cases, 216 chronic liver disease cases, and 681 matched controls who were followed for up to 22 years. All the associations were adjusted for age, alcohol consumption, education, smoking habit, body mass index, and hepatitis B and C status. (David Liu)

*Loftfield E, Freedman ND, Lai GY, Weinstein SJ, McGlynn KA, Taylor PR, Mannisto S, Albanes D, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ. Higher glucose and insulin levels are associated with risk of liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality among men without a history of diabetes. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2016 Aug 29\. pii: canprevres.0141.2016.*