Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41036596›Full record

SynthesisCancer medicine2025

The Associations Between the TyG Index and the Risk of Cancer-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hongyu Li, Zijie Chen, Guoheng Jiang, Wenqian Yu, Jing Luo, Shiyi Li, Linjun Xie, Xuan Bai, Yiting Xu, Yi Jiang and 3 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Cancer medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Hongyu LiDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zijie ChenDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Guoheng JiangDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Wenqian YuDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Jing LuoDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Shiyi LiDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Linjun XieDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Xuan BaiDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Yiting XuDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Yi JiangDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Menglin HeDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Min MaoDepartment of Pediatric Pulmonology and Immunology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Xin WangDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9325-3194

Funding

"From 0 to 1" Innovation Project, Sichuan University 2023SCUH0026Medical Research Project of Chengdu City 2025129Medical Youth Innovation Research Project of Sichuan Province Q21016National Natural Science Foundation of China 81903398Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan 2023NSFSC1927Research Project on High-Quality Development of Clinical Nutrition Work 2025-3-Y-15Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Department 2023 Central Guide Local Project 2023ZYD0097The research start-up fund for the introduction of talents of Sichuan University YJ2021112The Sichuan Health Commission's Popularization and Application Project No.2025-2401The Sichuan Tianfu Emei Plan for Young Talents No.Emei-1841
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, a simple and reliable surrogate marker of insulin resistance (IR), has garnered increasing attention in metabolic research. Although IR is mechanistically linked to carcinogenesis through multiple pathways, including chronic inflammation, hyperinsulinemia-driven pro-mitogenic signaling, and altered adipokine secretion, the specific utility of the TyG index for cancer risk assessment remains unclear. This systematic review examines whether the TyG index shows consistent associations across cancer types and holds value as an independent risk predictor beyond established metabolic syndrome components.

methodsWe systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases from 2008 (the year the TyG index was established as an IR marker) to December 31, 2024, for studies on the TyG index-cancer association. Cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies were included. Using meta-analysis, we pooled effect sizes and conducted subgroup analyses by gender, region, population source, and study design. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) evaluated evidence reliability.

resultsThis meta-analysis incorporated a total of 20 eligible studies. Our findings demonstrated that elevated TyG index levels were significantly associated with increased risks of various malignancies, including digestive system cancers (OR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.13-1.31), urogenital system cancers (OR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.53-2.71), and breast cancer (OR: 1.64, 95% CI 1.49-1.80) when compared to lower TyG index levels. These associations remained consistent across all pre-specified subgroup analyses stratified by study characteristics. Furthermore, TSA confirmed sufficient statistical power for definitive conclusions.

conclusionsThe consistent observed association between elevated TyG index and increased cancer risk highlights its potential as a candidate biomarker for further investigation. While these findings support the biological plausibility of insulin resistance in oncogenesis, current evidence-partially derived from observational studies-cannot establish causality or direct clinical utility. Future research should prioritize: (1) prospective validation of TyG index thresholds for cancer risk prediction, (2) mechanistic studies elucidating its role in tumor biology, and (3) assessment of its incremental value to existing risk stratification tools.

Indexed as

Blood GlucoseInsulin ResistanceNeoplasmsTriglyceridesHumansRisk AssessmentRisk FactorsBlood GlucoseTriglyceridescancerinsulin resistancemeta‐analysissystematic reviewtriglyceride‐glucose index

Identifiers

PMID41036596
PMCPMC12489462

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.