Figure 1.

Starvation-induced differential stress resistance. Starvation decreases serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, and growth factors, which further affect downstream growth regulators mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Akt and Ras. In cancer cells these regulators are activated in response to reduced IGF-1, increasing oxidative stress leading to DNA, damage and eventually cell death in the presence of chemotherapy drugs.