IGFBP1 and cancer: Insulin resistance induced by excessive adiposity may increase the risk of developing cancer because of compensatory hyperinsulinemia and increased bioavailability of IGF1 (due to reduced IGFBP‐1 production), thereby up‐regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway and stimulating cell proliferation and genomic instability (Longo & Fontana, 2010).