Strong cancer link to diabetes and weight

Wednesday November 29th, 2017

A "substantial number" of cancer cases are attributable to diabetes and high body mass index, researchers warn today.

Previously, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Cancer Research Fund have concluded that there is a causal link between high body mass index and many types of cancer.

Dr Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, of Imperial College London, UK, and colleagues estimated the rate of 12 types of cancer caused by diabetes and high body mass index overall, and by country and sex.

They used a global database of cancer rates, and calculated that 5.6% of all new cancers in 2012 were attributable to the combined effects of diabetes and high body mass index. This equates to 792,600 new cases.

The impact of diabetes and body mass index is highest on liver cancer, being causally linked to 25% of cases, and endometrial cancer, at 38% of cases. High body mass index appeared to have a stronger effect that diabetes.

Writing in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology today (29 November), the authors say: "As the prevalence of these cancer risk factors increases, clinical and public health efforts should focus on identifying optimal preventive and screening measures for whole populations and individual patients."

Dr Pearson-Stuttard said: "While obesity has been associated with cancer for some time, the link between diabetes and cancer has only been established quite recently. Our study shows that diabetes, either on its own or combined with being overweight, is responsible for hundreds of thousands of cancer cases each year across the world.

"Both clinical and public health efforts should focus on identifying effective preventive, control and screening measures to structurally alter our environment, such as increasing the availability and affordability of healthy foods, and reducing the consumption of unhealthy foods."

Pearson-Stuttard, J. et al. Worldwide burden of cancer attributable to diabetes and high body-mass index: a comparative risk assessment. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology 29 November 2017; doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(17)30366-2 [abstract]

Tags: Cancer | Diabetes | World Health

Printer friendly page