Insulin-like growth factors (
IGF-I,
IGF-II) and their
binding proteins (IGFBP-1-6) play a key role in cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, suggesting possible involvement in
carcinogenesis. Several epidemiological studies show associations of IGFs with
prostate cancer. We searched the published literature for all studies relating levels of IGFs or IGFBPs with
prostate cancer. We performed random effects meta-analysis to calculate summary odds ratios. The number of studies (
prostate cancer cases) included in each meta-analysis were 42 (7,481)
IGF-I; 10 (923)
IGF-II; 3 (485)
IGFBP-1; 5 (577)
IGFBP-2; 29 (6,541)
IGFBP-3 and 11 (3,545) IGF-1:
IGFBP-3 ratio. The pooled odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) per standard deviation increase in
peptide were:
IGF-I, OR = 1.21 (1.07, 1.36);
IGF-II, OR = 1.17 (0.93, 1.47);
IGFBP-1, OR = 1.21 (0.62, 2.33);
IGFBP-2, OR = 1.18 (0.90, 1.54);
IGFBP-3, OR = 0.88 (0.79, 0.98); IGFI:
IGFBP-3 ratio, OR = 1.10 (0.97, 1.24). For all exposures, there was substantial heterogeneity (all I(2) > 75%), partly explained by study design: the magnitude of associations was smaller in prospective vs. retrospective studies, and for
IGFBP-3, the inverse association with
prostate cancer risk was seen in retrospective but not prospective studies. There was weak evidence that associations of
IGF-I and
IGFBP-3 with
prostate cancer were stronger for advanced disease. Our meta-analysis confirms that raised circulating lGF-I is positively associated with
prostate cancer risk. Associations between
IGFBP-3 and
prostate cancer were inconsistent, and there was little evidence for a role of
IGF-II,
IGFBP-1 or
IGFBP-2 in
prostate cancer risk.