A new study has revealed that adults who develop new-onset type 2 diabetes may face an elevated risk for certain obesity-related cancers compared to those without the condition. The findings, while promising, suggest the need for further research to confirm these associations across different populations.
The research, based on a cohort-control study using data from the UK Biobank, suggests that new-onset type 2 diabetes could contribute to cancer risk through two distinct mechanisms. Researchers theorize that diabetes may directly cause cancer, as seen in conditions like pancreatic cancer, or it may increase cancer risk via its connection to obesity, which is a well-established risk factor for several cancers.
The study followed 23,750 adults with type 2 diabetes and 71,123 controls without the condition for an average of five years. Researchers tracked the incidence of 13 types of obesity-related cancers, with 2,431 cases found among those with diabetes and 5,184 among the control group.
Key findings indicate that men with new-onset type 2 diabetes have a significantly higher risk of developing obesity-related cancers, with a 48% increased risk compared to men without diabetes. Specific cancers with heightened risk included hepatocellular carcinoma (HR = 3.59), pancreatic cancer (HR = 1.74), colorectal cancer (HR = 1.27), and kidney cancer (HR = 1.53).
In women, new-onset type 2 diabetes was associated with an increased risk of various cancers, including pancreatic cancer (HR = 2.1), hepatocellular carcinoma (HR = 4.82), thyroid cancer (HR = 2.51), and esophageal adenocarcinoma (HR = 6.34). However, no significant increased risk was found for endometrial or postmenopausal breast cancer in women with type 2 diabetes.
The study’s authors, Owen Tipping, BSc, and Andrew G. Renehan, PhD, emphasized the importance of screening for cancer in individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, especially for those with obesity-related cancer risks. Additionally, they suggest that weight management in patients with diabetes may help reduce the long-term risk of cancer and other associated morbidities.
While the findings are significant, Tipping and Renehan noted the importance of replicating the study in other countries to assess whether these associations hold across different populations. Full data from this study will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in May 2025 in Malaga, Spain.
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