Laron Syndrome = No Cancer or Diabetes!

Dr. Guevara, Ecuador Institute of Endocrinology.

There may not be many positive aspects to having any type of dwarfism, but for the people of Ecuador who have Laron Syndrome, this is not the case. Researchers have found a centralized group of Ecuadorians with this rare disorder which causes them to stand only about three feet six inches and have a seemingly mysterious immunity to cancer and diabetes. 

Of the roughly 300 people with this disease, 100 of them reside in Ecuador which makes it a hot-spot for research for Dr. Jaime Guevara-Aguirre. Thus far, we know that Laron Syndrome is a genetic disorder stemming from a mutation in the gene that codes for growth hormone receptor. When human growth hormone pairs with the growth hormone receptor, insulin-like growth factor (IGF₁ ) is produced which ultimately causes cells to proliferate. When researchers decided to study the 100 Ecuadorians with the disorder, they compared their health with the health of 1,600 of their relatives who did not have the disorder. After studying these two groups for 22 years, not a single case of diabetes or lethal cancer was found in the Ecuadorian dwarves! The group of relatives, on the other hand, suffered from both ailments in great numbers. 

The possible reason for why those with Laron Syndrome did not acquire diabetes or cancer lies in the fact that they are not producing adequate amounts (or none at all) of insulin-like growth factor 1. This results in lower insulin concentrations and, subsequently, hypersensitivity to insulin. So, while normal individuals’ cells suffer DNA damage under stress, the cells in those who have Laron Syndrome simply self-destruct. Cells self-destructing may not sound like a positive thing, but when you think about the possible side-effects of having damaged cellular DNA floating around in your body and possibly causing cancer, cell death doesn’t sound too shabby!