As previously reported, exogenous IGF-1 sustains cell viability in cancer cell lines by stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis and BCL2 protein-interacting protein 3-like- (BNIP3-) induced mitophagy [37], and IGF-1 can also augment mitochondrial function and neuronal metabolism via AMPK [8]. This evidence concerns the gene BNIP3 and cancer.