A new study has found that cancer patients have a higher risk of developing diabetes. The study was published in the journal Diabetes Care.
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Denmark, which has a population of around 6 million. In 2019 alone, more than 45,000 cases of cancer were diagnosed. Fortunately, the most recent statistics report that there has been a significant increase in cancer survival in Denmark. Nevertheless, the long-term effects and complications reduce the quality of life of many survivors. Higher diabetes risk linked to some types of cancer
A new study resulting from a collaboration between researchers from the Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet and the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sport at the University of Copenhagen discovered that a cancer diagnosis was associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes. The study builds on the use of unique epidemiological data from the CopLab database maintained by the Center for General Practice in the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen. Some types of cancer were more likely than others to increase this risk. Lyke Silo, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sport at the University of Copenhagen, who is behind the study, together with Professor Christopher Johansson of the National Center for Cancer Survivorship and General Late Effects (Castle) in Rigshospitalet, and Professor Kristen Lykegaard Andersson. The CopLab database at the Center for General Practice states: “Our study shows that if a person is affected by cancer of the lung, pancreatic, breast, brain, urinary tract or uterus, there is an increased risk of developing diabetes ”
The researchers examined a comprehensive data set that included 112 million blood samples from 1.3 million Danes, of which more than 50,000 developed cancer. Although the study says nothing definitively about why certain types of cancer are associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes, researchers have theories around which new studies can be built. “Various cancer treatments can contribute to an increased risk. Cancer itself can affect the rest of the body. We know that cancer cells can secrete substances that can affect organs and possibly lead to diabetes.” may contribute to the increased incidence. It has been suggested in animal studies,” says Laike Silo.
Survival without diabetes increases. Studies also show that people with cancer and later diabetes generally do not live as long as patients who do not develop diabetes while experiencing cancer.
“Across all the cancer sites we observed that cancer patients without diabetes live longer than cancer patients diagnosed with diabetes,” says Professor Kristofer Johansson from Rigshospitalet. Overall, the study finds a 21 percent higher death rate among patients who develop diabetes after being diagnosed with cancer. It is worth noting that the study included all cancer types and did not examine the effect of diabetes on the survival of individual cancer types.
Preventive Initiatives and Screening Today, screening cancer patients for diabetes has not yet been incorporated into the health care system. If it can be shown that screening cancer patients for diabetes will result in a higher quality of life and increased survival, it may be a good idea in the future:
“Our results suggest that it may be relevant to consider diabetes screening for cancers where we have been found to be at high risk of disease. ie for patients with lung cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, uterine cancer and urinary tract cancer. . . we have excellent opportunities to treat diabetes and early intervention may impact some cancer patients,” says Professor Christopher Johansson. Associate Professor Lyke Silo backs up his claim, saying, “It may be interesting to investigate whether screening helps cancer patients – both in terms of their chances of survival as well as their quality of life. As a preventive initiative As a matter of fact, it may also be possible to recommend different types of exercise for people with cancer that, as we know, work effectively to prevent and treat diabetes. But my suggestions are to be taken in a long-term perspective. should and require testing,” she concluded.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
