Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and its cognate receptor, insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR), play important roles in normal cell function and tumorigenesis, via their mediation of cell growth, differentiation and survival (5); numerous studies have shown that overexpression of IGF-IR and related proteins results in cancer cell proliferation and survival (6–8). Here, IGF1R is linked to cancer.