Diabetes Substantially Elevates Cancer Risk, Especially for Younger PatientsDiabetes Substantially Elevates Cancer Risk, Especially for Younger Patients A comprehensive analysis of over three million patient records reveals a significant association between diabetes and an increased risk of cancer, particularly among individuals aged 40 to 54. Pancreatic and Liver Cancer Risk Soars The study, conducted by researchers at Semmelweis University, Hungary, found that people with diabetes face a more than doubled (129.4%) risk of pancreatic cancer compared to those without the condition. Additionally, the risk of liver cancer is 83% higher in diabetic patients. Elevated Risk Across Multiple Cancer Types Beyond pancreatic and liver cancer, the researchers also examined the risk of four other types of tumors. Patients with diabetes were found to have a: * 44.2% higher risk of kidney cancer * 30.0% higher risk of colorectal cancer * 17.1% higher risk of prostate cancer * 13.7% higher risk of breast cancer Younger Age Group at Greatest Risk The difference in cancer incidence was most pronounced in the younger age group (40-54 years), where 5.4% of diabetic individuals developed cancer over a ten-year period, compared to 4.4% of non-diabetic controls. Close Temporal Relationship The researchers noted that the time between diabetes diagnosis and cancer development was often very short, suggesting a close temporal relationship between the two conditions. Implications for Healthcare These findings highlight the importance of regular cancer screenings for individuals with diabetes, especially in the younger age group. Early detection and treatment are crucial for improving outcomes in cancer patients.
Diabetes significantly increases the risk of cancer, especially in people aged 40 to 54, new research shows. The analysis of data from more than three million patients warns that the risk of cancer begins to rise shortly before the formal diagnosis of diabetes and peaks the following year.
According to new research from Semmelweis University, the risk of pancreatic cancer is highest: it is more than doubled (129.4%) in people with diabetes than in the population without the disease. They also found that the risk of developing liver cancer is 83% higher in people with diabetes.
The researchers analyzed data from 3,681,774 individuals in the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund database between 2010 and 2021, of whom 86,537 had diabetes. The age group analyzed was between 40 and 89 years old.
During the ten-year follow-up period, 8.6% of people in the control group and 10.1% of people with diabetes were diagnosed with cancer.
In addition to pancreatic and liver cancer, the researchers also looked at the risk of four other types of tumors.
“We found that people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) were at a higher risk of developing all six types of cancer we examined,” said Dr. Heléna Safadi, assistant lecturer at Semmelweis University’s Health Service Management Training Center and lead author of the study published in the journal Diabetes research and clinical practice.
Patients with diabetes had a 44.2% higher risk of kidney cancer and a 30% higher risk of colorectal cancer compared to the population without the disease. The risk of developing prostate cancer was 17.1% higher in people with diabetes, while the risk of breast cancer was 13.7% higher.
The difference in cancer incidence between people with diabetes and controls was greatest in the younger age group: 5.4% of people aged 40 to 54 with the disease were diagnosed with cancer over ten years, compared with 4 .4% of the control groups. In contrast, in the 70-89 age group, the difference between diabetics and controls was only 0.3 percentage points (12.7% versus 12.4%).
The researchers also noted that the time between the diagnosis of diabetes and the development of tumors was very short and that the diseases often occurred at the same time.
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Magazine reference:
Safadi, H., et al. (2024). Associations between diabetes and cancer: a 10-year national population-based retrospective cohort study. Diabetes research and clinical practice. doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2024.111665.
