Diabetes Increases Cancer Risk. Naperville IL Dr Richard Hagmeyer Naperville Insitute For NeuroMetabolic Solutions Naperville IL

Diabetes Increases Cancer Risk

Part of what makes diabetes such a difficult diagnosis to deal with is its tendency to increase your risk of serious diseases — including several types of cancer, according to one of the largest and longest studies to date on the topic.

After analyzing data from 500,000 people aged 50 to 71, who were followed for 11 years, researchers found that diabetes increases the risk of dying from cancer by 8 percent in women and 9 percent in men when prostate cancer was excluded (diabetes was actually associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer, possibly because of lower testosterone levels).

Rates of liver, rectum and colon cancers were all increased among people with diabetes, along with pancreatic and bladder cancers for diabetic men and stomach, anus and uterine cancers among diabetic women.

The risk of dying from cancer was also greater for men and women with diabetes, by 17 percent and 11 percent, respectively, compared to non-diabetics.

CONCLUSIONS: In addition to vascular disease, diabetes is associated with substantial premature death from several cancers, infectious diseases, external causes, intentional self-harm, and degenerative disorders, independent of several major risk factors. (Funded by the British Heart Foundation and others.).

The study confirms earlier research that similarly found diabetics had a 25 percent greater risk of dying from cancer along with an increased risk of dying from heart attack, stroke, infections, lung disease, kidney disease, falls and suicide. That study found diabetes was moderately associated with death from cancers of the liver, pancreas, ovary, colorectum, lung, bladder, and breast.

It’s not clear exactly how diabetes increases cancer risk, but the two diseases do have many of the same risk factors, such as poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking. So many of the same lifestyle changes that can lower your diabetes risk will lower your cancer risk, too.

Cancer is only one serious illness linked to diabetes. Heart disease, stroke, vision loss, and kidney problems are also common among diabetics, which is why, quite simply, one of the best ways to protect your health on multiple levels is to do everything in your power to avoid getting type 2 diabetes in the first place — and take steps to reverse the condition if you already have it.

American Association for Cancer Research Meeting, Orlando, Florida April 2-6, 2011

NYTimes.com April 4, 2011
Yahoo News April 4, 2011

 

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